Pharmacare claims for Ozempic have soared in Manitoba in last 4 years, provincial data shows

With generic versions of the weight-loss drug Ozempic expected to hit the Canadian market this year, provincial data shows the number of times the medication has been dispensed from pharmacies across Manitoba has more than quadrupled over the past four years.

"I was really surprised about the numbers. Those are larger than I anticipated," said Vernon Dolinsky, a diabetes researcher at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba.

Introduced in 2018, Ozempic is a brand name drug used for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and as an anti-obesity medication. 

The active ingredient in Ozempic is semaglutide — part of a class of drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists, which regulate blood sugar levels and appetite.

The number of Ozempic claims covered by Manitoba’s pharmacare program spiked from 17,644 during the 2021-22 fiscal year to 88,367 in 2024-25, according to provincial data.

"I would anticipate that as many of these medications come off patent that we’re going to see more people want to start taking them," said Dolinsky.

The company that makes Ozempic, Novo Nordisk, also has two other brand name medications to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity: Rybelsus and Wegovy. 

As of this week, Novo Nordisk has lost its market exclusivity over semaglutide drugs on the Canadian market, opening the door to generic versions. Canada is the only country where the company allowed the patent for its semaglutide drugs to expire, paving the way for "regulatory exclusivity" to end as of Jan. 4.

"These medications work [for both diabetes and weight loss]. It’s very positive for people because it will improve their health," said Dolinsky. 

"On the other hand, we still don’t have a very good grasp on what the long-term effects of these medications are."

Ozempic gained exception drug status under Manitoba's pharmacare program in 2021,  meaning it's a medication recommended for coverage by the Manitoba Drug Standards and Therapeutics Committee.

For now, only people prescribed Ozempic for treatment of Type 2 diabetes are eligible to have the cost covered under pharmacare in Manitoba. The rest either pay out-of-pocket or rely on private insurance.

"I would suspect that there's quite a few people who don't rely on the provincial formulary to pay for their medications," said Britt Kural, a pharmacy practice adviser with Pharmacists Manitoba.

"You have to have at least been tried on two other medications, in combination with diet and exercise, and not be able to reach your targets or your goals for your management of Type 2 diabetes before the province will pay for that medication," said Kural.