Generic weight-loss drug approval ‘really good news,’ but doctor warns of long-term consequences – CTV

April 30, 2026

MONTREAL – Health Canada’s approval of the generic version of semaglutide, commonly known as Ozempic, has been heralded as a sea change in improving accessibility to a life-changing drug.

Still, experts also warn this is no time to throw the door wide open to weight-loss drugs.

“The approval is really good news. It increases equity which is important,” said Dr. Kaberi Dasgupta, a professor of medicine at McGill University. “People need treatments for excess weight and a lot of medical conditions associated with obesity. So, these semaglutides are incredible tools.”

But she also says their effectiveness and increasing availability pose several questions.

“The negative side is that it might become a bit too easy to not try to make our environments healthier,” she said.

Read more: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/how-generic-versions-of-ozempic-could-shape-canada/