The B.C. government is moving ahead with restrictions on the sale of the diabetes drug Ozempic to make sure British Columbians and Canadians have access.
On March 28, the province announced amendments to regulations that would allow them to restrict out-of-country sales.
They are now following through with the restriction.
British Columbians, other Canadian citizens and permanent residents will still be able to purchase Ozempic at B.C. pharmacies in person as well as online.
Non-Canadian citizens will only be able to buy it in person in a B.C. pharmacy.
Provincial officials say it will cut down on the number of mail orders heading to the United States.
In the U.S., Ozempic is a lot more expensive, but it has also been heavily marketed as a weight loss drug even though it isn’t approved for that.
The changes to regulations will allow the province to do this for other drugs as well if it becomes necessary.
B.C. government officials said a report is expected in late June that will show the effect of the regulation changes.
