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The Ozempic shortage in Australia, 2022 to 2025: what happened, and is supply back?

A timeline of the shortage, why demand outran supply, what it meant for people with type 2 diabetes, and where supply stands now.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished 12 Oct 20266 min read14 sourcesWritten from published sources

Written for Australia. Other country versions are coming.

The short answer

Ozempic (semaglutide) was in short supply in Australia from April 2022. The TGA blamed a rapid rise in off-label prescribing, largely for weight loss. Restrictions lifted in July 2025, when doctors could again start new patients. As of February 2026 the TGA advised there were no shortages of any GLP-1 medicine.

Key takeaways

  • Ozempic has been in short supply in Australia since April 2022, newsGP reported in November 2022, when it was expected back by the end of March 2023.1
  • In September 2023 the TGA said extra demand was caused mainly by a rapid increase in prescribing for off-label use, and supply would stay limited through 2024.2
  • During the shortage the TGA allowed overseas-labelled Ozempic pens from countries including the UK and Germany to be supplied; the last of these approvals lapsed on 13 January 2026.5
  • Diabetes Australia said in July 2025 that supply had stabilised and doctors could again prescribe Ozempic for new patients.4
  • As of February 2026 the TGA advised there were no shortages of any GLP-1 medicine in Australia, according to the PBAC.7
On this page
  1. What happened during the Ozempic shortage?
  2. Why was there an Ozempic shortage?
  3. What did the shortage mean for people with type 2 diabetes?
  4. Why were there Ozempic pens with foreign labels?
  5. Is Ozempic still in shortage in Australia?
  6. What risks came with the shortage?
  7. Questions people ask
  8. How we researched this

What happened during the Ozempic shortage?

Supply fell short of demand from April 2022. For most of the next three years, doctors were told not to start new patients on Ozempic.1,3,4

Before you go further
  • Ozempic is a prescription-only medicine in Australia, approved for type 2 diabetes. It is not approved for weight loss.6,11
  • We don't publish medicine prices or say where to get a medicine.
  • Every risk of semaglutide is in Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
  1. Apr 2022Semaglutide (Ozempic) goes into short supply in Australia.1
  2. Oct 2022The TGA approves the first overseas-labelled Ozempic pens, from Germany, for supply.5
  3. Nov 2022Expected to be unavailable until the end of March 2023. The RACGP advises GPs not to start new patients.1
  4. Sep 2023The TGA says supply will be limited for the rest of 2023 and during 2024, mainly because of off-label prescribing.2
  5. Dec 2023The TGA warns about telehealth services offering compounded semaglutide-like products.8
  6. Aug 2024Wegovy launches. The TGA advice is still not to start new Ozempic patients.3
  7. Oct 2024Pharmacists may no longer compound GLP‑1 medicines.9
  8. Jul 2025Supply has stabilised and restrictions are lifted; new patients can start again.4
  9. Jan 2026The last approvals for overseas-labelled Ozempic pens lapse.5
  10. Feb 2026The TGA advises there are no shortages of any GLP‑1 medicine in Australia.7

Dates from newsGP, the TGA, the PBAC and Diabetes Australia, checked 12 Oct 2026.

Why was there an Ozempic shortage?

Demand grew faster than supply, and most of the extra demand was off-label: Ozempic prescribed for weight loss rather than diabetes. The TGA said so in 2023.2

  • Off-label prescribing. The TGA said the extra demand was "caused mainly by a rapid increase in prescribing for off-label use".2 The low-dose pens (0.25 mg and 0.5 mg) were hit hardest.2
  • Social media. newsGP said the shortage was partly due to Ozempic's promotion as a weight-loss drug on platforms like TikTok.1
  • Illegal promotion. The TGA says illegal promotion of Ozempic contributed to a global shortage, so people with diabetes who needed it could not get it.6

Advertising Ozempic for weight loss is illegal in Australia, even to health professionals.6 Wegovy, the semaglutide brand approved for weight, did not launch here until August 2024.3

Knock-on shortages. The TGA says the Ozempic shortage also contributed to shortages of alternatives, such as Trulicity (dulaglutide), as patients moved to other treatments.6

What did the shortage mean for people with type 2 diabetes?

New patients mostly could not start Ozempic, and doctors were asked to save supply for people already stable on it.1,2

The TGA asked prescribers to "prioritise patients for whom Ozempic will have the most clinical impact", including people already stabilised and without other options.2 It advised against starting new patients unless there were no suitable alternatives or a compelling clinical reason.2

In 2022 the RACGP listed other diabetes medicines GPs could consider:1

  • liraglutide, a daily GLP‑1 injection;
  • SGLT2 inhibitors, particularly for people with heart or kidney disease;
  • DPP‑4 inhibitors, for some patients;
  • sulfonylureas or insulin, which carry a risk of low blood sugar.

For how Ozempic is subsidised for diabetes today, see Ozempic on the PBS.

PathI have type 2 diabetes

Where GLP-1 medicines fit Australian diabetes care, HbA1c targets, and use with insulin or metformin.

Open the path

Why were there Ozempic pens with foreign labels?

The TGA used a special approval, section 19A, to let overseas-registered Ozempic pens be imported and supplied during the shortage.5

Section 19A covers medicines that are "not on the ARTG but approved for import and supply in Australia ... due to a shortage of another medicine".5 The ARTG is the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.

  • Countries: pens came from the UK, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia.5
  • Strengths: 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg pens.5
  • End: the final approvals, for German pens, lapsed on 13 January 2026.5

These were genuine products registered overseas, supplied through approved channels. They are different from counterfeits, which the TGA also found during the shortage.5,10

Is Ozempic still in shortage in Australia?

No. Diabetes Australia said supply had stabilised in July 2025, and the TGA advised in February 2026 that there were no shortages of any GLP‑1 medicine.4,7

  • New patients can be prescribed Ozempic again.4
  • A new pen. Diabetes Australia said a new 3 mL pen was replacing the 1.5 mL version of the 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pen.4
  • Local stock may take time to return at some pharmacies.4
  • Still not for weight. Ozempic is PBS-subsidised for type 2 diabetes when criteria are met, not for weight loss.4

Supply can change. The PBAC points readers to the TGA's medicine shortage reports database, searched by medicine name, for the latest status.7

What risks came with the shortage?

Fakes and unapproved copies. The TGA found counterfeit Ozempic pens and vials, warned about scams, and saw telehealth services offering compounded versions.8,10

  • Counterfeits. The TGA reported counterfeit semaglutide vials in May 2023 and counterfeit Ozempic pens, with an adverse event, in September 2024.10
  • Scams. In March 2023 it warned consumers about scams targeting people seeking Ozempic.10
  • Compounded copies. These had not been evaluated by the TGA, and were banned from 1 October 2024. See why compounded semaglutide was banned.8,9
  • Advertising as a warning sign. The TGA says any advertising for Ozempic or semaglutide is illegal and may be a scam or counterfeit.8
RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Wrong or unknown contents are the main danger of counterfeit and unapproved products.8,10
  • Stomach effects are the most common side effects of genuine Ozempic, mostly while the dose rises.11
  • Pancreatitis has been reported with semaglutide. Severe stomach pain that won't go away needs urgent care.11
  • Low blood sugar is more likely when Ozempic is used with insulin or a sulfonylurea.11
Full detail in Guide 5: Side effects and risks →
Get help now: call triple zero (000) if an illness is critical or life-threatening.12 For advice when you are not sure what to do, call the healthdirect nurse helpline free on 1800 022 222, 24 hours a day.12 If you think you have taken too much of a medicine, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 at any time.13 If you think a pen is fake, keep it and its packaging. You can report a side effect to the TGA online or through your GP or pharmacist.14

Questions people ask

Is Ozempic still in shortage in Australia?

No. Supply stabilised in July 2025, and as of February 2026 the TGA advised there were no shortages of any GLP‑1 medicine.4,7

When did the Ozempic shortage start in Australia?

Ozempic has been in short supply since April 2022, newsGP reported.1

Why was Ozempic in short supply?

The TGA said extra demand was caused mainly by a rapid increase in off-label prescribing, largely for weight loss.2

Can new patients start Ozempic again?

Yes. Diabetes Australia said in July 2025 that doctors can again prescribe Ozempic for new patients.4

Why did my Ozempic pen have a foreign label?

During the shortage the TGA allowed overseas-registered Ozempic pens to be supplied under section 19A. The last approvals lapsed in January 2026.5

How we researched this

On 12 Oct 2026 we read newsGP's November 2022 and August 2024 reports, the ADEA's September 2023 report of TGA advice, Diabetes Australia's July 2025 update, the TGA's section 19A listings, advertising page and safety collection, and the PBAC's advice page.

The TGA's own archived shortage notices are no longer online, so the 2023 TGA advice is quoted from the diabetes educators' association report. We found no official end date for the related Trulicity shortage.

Before you move on

  • Ozempic was short from April 2022 until restrictions lifted in July 2025.
  • The TGA blamed mainly off-label prescribing.
  • Overseas-labelled pens were supplied under section 19A until January 2026.
  • As of February 2026 the TGA reported no GLP-1 shortages.
Getting a prescriptionSide effects and risksDoctor questions tool

More from the Australia blog

AUAustraliaOzempic on the PBS: the type 2 diabetes criteria AUAustraliaWhy compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide were banned in Australia AUAustralia"GLP-1 drops", patches and peptides: what the TGA found inside
About GLP Guidebook

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An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don't sell medicines, take drug-company money or earn clinic commissions. Once a month: PBS decisions, TGA approvals, safety notices and recalls. How we write

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Sources

  1. newsGP (RACGP). Semaglutide unavailable in Australia until April 2023 ("in short supply in Australia since April"; RACGP advice not to initiate new patients; alternatives). 4 November 2022. racgp.org.au
  2. Australian Diabetes Educators Association. New Ozempic advice issued as demand "accelerated in recent months" (reporting TGA advice: supply limited for the rest of 2023 and during 2024; demand "caused mainly by a rapid increase in prescribing for off-label use"). 21 September 2023. adea.com.au
  3. newsGP (RACGP). Wegovy launches in Australia (TGA advice not to initiate new Ozempic patients; launch 5 August 2024). 2 August 2024. racgp.org.au
  4. Diabetes Australia. Ozempic supply returning to normal in Australia ("prescribing and supply restrictions now lifted"; "doctors can now prescribe Ozempic for new patients"). 23 July 2025. diabetesaustralia.com.au
  5. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Site search results for "Ozempic supply": Section 19A approvals for overseas-registered Ozempic pens (UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia), including entries marked "Approval lapsed 13/01/26". Checked 12 October 2026. tga.gov.au
  6. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Advertising Ozempic and GLP-1 receptor agonists is prohibited. Updated 11 March 2025. tga.gov.au
  7. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. PBAC advice on equitable access to GLP-1 obesity treatments (priority groups; "a slow and managed roll-out"; "As of February 2026, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) advises that there are no shortages of any GLP-1 medication in Australia"). pbs.gov.au
  8. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Compounding safety information: semaglutide-like products. Safety alert, 15 December 2023. tga.gov.au
  9. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Update on the GLP-1 RAs pharmacy compounding changes. Media release, 18 June 2024. tga.gov.au
  10. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Ozempic (semaglutide) safety collection (counterfeit Ozempic pens detected, 30 September 2024; counterfeit semaglutide vials, 25 May 2023; consumers warned about Ozempic scams, 1 March 2023). Checked 12 October 2026. tga.gov.au
  11. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) Australian Product Information, revised 25 September 2026. medsinfo.com.au Sections 4.1, 4.4 and 4.8.
  12. Healthdirect Australia. How healthdirect can help you ("call triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately"; nurse helpline 1800 022 222, 24 hours a day). healthdirect.gov.au
  13. Healthdirect Australia. Poisoning (Poisons Information Centre, 13 11 26, any time). healthdirect.gov.au
  14. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Reporting adverse events for consumers (online, or through your GP, nurse practitioner, midwife or pharmacist). Updated 2 September 2026. tga.gov.au

Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due 12 Apr 2027 · Report an error

How this post was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified doctor, nurse or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write