The Ozempic shortage that persisted for roughly two years is largely resolved in the United States. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), which tracks drug shortages nationally, lists Novo Nordisk as having Ozempic and Wegovy available. In Australia, the manufacturer confirmed that supply was officially restored as of July 18, 2025, with the drug removed from the national shortage list. However, spotty availability at individual pharmacies can still occur, and counterfeit products remain a real concern.
How the Shortage Played Out
Ozempic, approved for type 2 diabetes, saw explosive off-label demand for weight loss starting around 2022. Novo Nordisk simply couldn’t make enough. The European Medicines Agency warned in mid-2024 that the shortage was a “major public health concern” unlikely to resolve that year, noting that one in six Europeans were obese and a projected 38 million people in the EU would have diabetes by 2030. The strain hit every major market.
Novo Nordisk responded with massive manufacturing investment. The company spent roughly 60 billion Danish kroner (about $8.5 billion) on capital expenditure in 2025, up from 47 billion the year before. That money went toward expanding production of the active ingredient, adding sterile filling capacity, and integrating three manufacturing sites acquired from a contract manufacturer. The company expects to spend around 55 billion kroner in 2026 to continue building out its global supply chain.
Compounded Semaglutide Is Being Phased Out
During the shortage, compounding pharmacies stepped in to produce their own versions of semaglutide. Federal law allows this when a brand-name drug is on the FDA’s official shortage list. As supply has stabilized, the FDA announced a wind-down period: state-licensed pharmacies had until April 22, 2025, to stop compounding semaglutide copies, and larger outsourcing facilities had until May 22, 2025.
After those deadlines, compounders can still make semaglutide products, but only under narrow conditions. A prescriber must document that the compounded version contains a meaningful change from the commercial product for a specific patient. Pharmacies filling four or fewer prescriptions per month for such products are unlikely to face enforcement action. For most people who were getting compounded semaglutide, though, the era of easy access to cheaper alternatives is ending.
Counterfeit Ozempic Remains a Risk
The shortage created a fertile market for counterfeit products, and the problem has not disappeared even as supply improves. The FDA has issued multiple seizure notices. In December 2023, the agency seized thousands of counterfeit 1 mg pens. In April 2025, several hundred more counterfeit units were found in the legitimate U.S. drug supply chain. As recently as December 2025, the FDA seized dozens more counterfeits that had entered authorized distribution channels.
These fakes are increasingly sophisticated. One batch used a lot number (PAR1229) that matched a real Novo Nordisk lot number. The difference was subtle: on the counterfeit, the expiration and lot text appeared to the left of the date, while authentic pens print that text above the date. In earlier seizures, testing revealed counterfeit needles whose sterility could not be confirmed, raising infection risk.
If you get your Ozempic from a licensed retail pharmacy that sources through authorized wholesalers, your risk is low. The counterfeits that have been caught entered the supply chain through unauthorized distributors. Buying from online sellers, overseas pharmacies, or informal sources carries substantially more risk right now.
What to Do If You Can’t Find Your Dose
Even with overall supply restored, individual pharmacies may temporarily run out of specific pen strengths. If your pharmacy can’t fill your prescription, calling other nearby pharmacies is the simplest first step. Your prescriber may also be able to check distributor availability in real time.
If you’re facing a gap of two weeks or more, switching to a different medication is an option your doctor can evaluate. The oral form of semaglutide (Rybelsus) contains the same active ingredient in tablet form. If you’ve missed fewer than two doses of your injection, you can generally convert directly to an approximate equivalent oral dose. If you’ve missed more, you would typically start at the lowest oral dose and work up over a couple of months.
Tirzepatide (sold as Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss) is another option. It works on a similar pathway but is not identical to semaglutide, so switching requires starting at the lowest dose of 2.5 mg weekly and gradually increasing, regardless of what Ozempic dose you were on. The blood sugar benefits are largely achieved at the 5 mg dose. Both Mounjaro and Wegovy are currently listed as available by the ASHP.
Missing Doses: What Happens
If you miss a single weekly Ozempic injection and it’s been fewer than five days, you can take it as soon as you remember. If more than five days have passed, skip that dose and take the next one on your regular day. Missing one or two doses is unlikely to cause a dramatic change in blood sugar or weight, though some people notice increased appetite within a few days as the drug’s effects wear off. The bigger concern is prolonged gaps of several weeks, which may require restarting at a lower dose to avoid the nausea and digestive side effects that are common during initial treatment.