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Japan Faces GLP-1 Shortage As Off-Label Diet Use Surges

Grey Areas Between Regulations

 
• By Lisa Takagi

Despite repeated warnings by regulatory authorities and physicians’ associations, the demand for easy diet aids is impacting the supply of GLP-1 receptor antagonists in Japan.

The shortage suffers legal dilemma of off label use of drugs or use of unapproved drugs.
Japan GLP-1 shortages grow due to legal grey area of off-label use • Source: Shutterstock

Japan is facing a supply shortage of GLP-1 receptor antagonists for type 2 diabetes due to their off-label use as diet drugs, prompting the main manufacturers to restrict supplies and calls for their use only in officially approved indications.

Because of the high overall demand, both Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly and Company have had to...

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