U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders Confirms Generic Version of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic for Less Than $100 a Month
Bengaluru: U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders announced on Tuesday that major generic pharmaceutical companies have confirmed they can sell copycat versions of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug, Ozempic, for less than $100 a month. This news comes amid criticism from lawmakers over the high costs associated with these medications.
Why It’s Important:
Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Jorgensen is set to testify before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), which Sanders chairs, in a hearing next week focusing on U.S. prices for its widely popular Ozempic and weight-loss drug Wegovy.
Key Quote:
"Generic drugmakers have studied the matter and told me they can sell a generic version of Ozempic, the exact same drug that Novo Nordisk is manufacturing, to Americans for less than $100 per month," Sanders said.
Context:
Ozempic, which has the same active ingredient as Wegovy and is used off-label for weight loss, belongs to the popular GLP-1 class, which has seen overwhelming demand in the United States. Some analysts have forecast the total market for weight-loss drugs to reach $150 billion by the early 2030s.
However, this comes amid criticism from lawmakers over the high costs associated with these medications.
By the Numbers:
A month’s supply of Novo’s Ozempic carries a U.S. list price of $935.77, while Wegovy lists for $1,349.02 per month, according to the drugmaker’s website, although most consumers pay less.
Published on Sep 18, 2024 at 02:38 PM IST
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Reference : https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/pharma/pharma-industry/us-senator-sanders-says-generic-drugmakers-could-sell-ozempic-for-less-than-100/month/113453444
