Canada has become the first G7 country to approve a generic version of the popular diabetes and weight loss medication Ozempic, with prices expected to be less than a third of the cost of the brand-name drug.

Elizabeth Doran, a 69-year-old retired Canadian, has been taking GLP-1 medications for nearly a year and was previously paying between $250 to $350 out of pocket per month for her prescription. The introduction of generics in Canada is expected to make the medication more accessible to millions of Canadians and may also attract American patients who are struggling with high costs.

Generic Ozempic Availability

The generic semaglutide injection has been approved for type 2 diabetes patients but can be prescribed off-label for weight loss. Two manufacturers, Dr Reddy’s and Apotex, have already received approval from Health Canada to sell their generic versions of the medication.

Experts say the Canadian generics may also be eyed by patients in the US, where Ozempic costs upwards of $1,000 per month for uninsured Americans. The approval of generics in Canada has already forced Novo Nordisk to lower prices of their brand-name drugs.

Canada’s approval of the generic GLP-1s comes after India approved dozens of low-cost versions, causing a price scramble that has prompted Novo Nordisk to cut the prices of Ozempic and Wegovy by nearly 50% in that country.

Implications for American Patients

US patients may not see a generic version of Ozempic until 2032, when the main compound patent protecting semaglutide is expected to expire. However, some Americans may try to access the low-cost generic Ozempic from Canada, which could lead to a surge in cross-border purchases.

The introduction of generics in Canada highlights the disparities in healthcare costs between the two countries and may put pressure on US lawmakers to address the issue of high drug prices. As the US continues to grapple with rising healthcare costs, the availability of affordable generics in Canada may become a major point of discussion in the ongoing debate over drug pricing reform.