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People unable to afford private weight-loss services or treatments likely to be among most at risk for developing obesity and its complications, experts say.
Starting Wednesday, patients must meet specific criteria to get coverage under the program, mainly limiting coverage of the drug to those with type 2 diabetes.
At least three provinces have reported an increase in calls to poison control related to semaglutide and liraglutide drugs, diabetes medication also used for weight-loss.
Experts say drug shortages have gradually worsened in Canada over the last decade, putting patients in difficult and sometimes dangerous positions. But potential solutions like rethinking where drug manufacturing is concentrated and expanding pharmacists' prescribing privileges could help ease those impacts.
Compared to the peak pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, Canada experienced an uptick in prescription drug shortages in 2022 that Health Canada says has continued throughout 2023.