A promising anti-diabetes drug with equal success in tackling obesity is proving effective against two of Bermuda’s worst chronic health conditions.

Ozempic, in the spotlight globally through celebrity use as well as word on social media, is in increasing demand on the island as a result.

Another pharmaceutical, Mounjaro, using a similar mode of action to help the body to quell the urge to eat, is fresh on the market.

The endocrinologist Annabel Fountain, a specialist in the treatment of diabetes and obesity, is waiting to see its results with her patients.

“Ozempic is on TikTok now — it’s a very effective diabetes drug,” said Dr Fountain, who prescribes the medicine off-label for clients battling their weight and headed into the insulin resistance that can be a precursor to diabetes.

“The effect of the drug is to make you feel fuller. It’s a mimic of the hormone our gut makes when we have eaten, so that your brain thinks you’re full.”

She said the medications can be costly, but insurance covers much of the expense.

Dr Fountain added: “I prescribe it. But I also try to figure out how and why people have got to where they’re overweight.

“It’s important when you use a weight-loss drug that you also address any underlying mental health issues.”

Obesity and diabetes, which are typically interlinked, have soared in Bermuda.

Kim Wilson, the health minister, told the House of Assembly last October that residents were “living longer, but we are living sicker” — with three out of four adults either overweight or obese, and 50 per cent with chronic health conditions such as obesity or heart disease.

Ozempic has proved “great” for treating diabetes, according to Melissa Levy, the head pharmacist for the Bermuda Diabetes Association — and in the process has caused diabetics burdened by obesity to shed excess weight.

A specific weight-loss version of the drug, sold under the brand name of Wegovy, appeared on the market in 2021.

While Wegovy is available in Bermuda, Dr Fountain said she was “just giving patients Ozempic”, as both drugs contain the same active ingredient.

But the drug’s new-found celebrity for slimming has led to rip-off versions of the medication, along with dubious promises online.

Concerns have also been raised, according to The New York Times, that people who take them can find that going off them can take a toll and lead to rapid weight gain as the appetite suppressant wears off.

The Bermuda Health Council told The Royal Gazette: “Note that there are many websites that claim to sell these medications whose products would not be allowed for importation into Bermuda due to the risk of low-quality or counterfeit products.”

Ms Levy said the active ingredient of Ozempic and Wegovy, a drug known as semaglutide, was in fact more than a decade old.

“For weight loss it’s pretty recent, and I think that’s what has blown it up,” she said.

“Hollywood has now taken it up as their weight-loss drug, and I feel that has increased its popularity. But it’s an excellent product for sure — it’s been doing great for people with diabetes.”

Although Ozempic is prescribed primarily for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, Wegovy was cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2021 specifically for chronic weight management.

According to its manufacturer, the Novo Nordisk pharmaceutical company, the drug is injected — and recommended for adults whose body mass index stands at 30 or higher, typically the threshold where physicians define a person as obese.

Ms Levy said that while Ozempic was injectable, a tablet form was also available, known as Rybelsus.

Novo Nordisk, a Danish corporation, developed semaglutide in 2012 for the treatment of diabetes.

“After doing studies, they realised it had some benefits in terms of weight loss,” Ms Levy said.

“So doctors are within their right to prescribe it for patients, especially those they consider to be at high risk of other co-morbidities.”

Doctors are thus at liberty to administer the drug off-label for their patients with obesity.

The BHeC stated: “Any discussions on off-label use of medications should be held between providers and patients and be in line with any standards of practice set forth by the relevant statutory boards and the office of the Chief Medical Officer.”

Ayo Oyinloye, the Chief Medical Officer, told the Gazette: “This group of medicines has been shown to have good results in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and for weight loss in patients with health conditions related to obesity.”

Dr Oyinloye called them “an addition to our toolkit for managing diabetes and obesity”.

“While this medicine is generally well tolerated, there are significant adverse effects that must be discussed with your doctor before starting this medication.

“This medication is not for everyone. If you have a family history of some cancers, please consult your doctor before starting these medications.

“It is important to note that this is to be used as an adjunct to a healthy diet and exercise to help with blood sugar control and weight loss.”

Dr Fountain emphasised that there was “a lot of psychology about obesity — I talk to people about why it is they are gaining weight”.

Even though the medications have become well known recently, she said her patients had been using similar drugs for many years.

“I have been prescribing GLP-1 agonists since about 2008, before coming back to the island.”

Dr Fountain is waiting now to see outcomes with the newcomer medicine Mounjaro, the brand name of a drug called tirzepatide, which she described as “a super-semaglutide”.

It was approved in the US, Canada and the European Union only last year.

“I have prescribed it already, only to a couple of people,” Dr Fountain said. “I’m waiting to see.”