Amsterdam dietitians warn of rising Ozempic advertising and misuse

Dietitians in Amsterdam are raising concerns about the growing visibility of the diabetes medication Ozempic in public spaces, including street advertising in Amsterdam West, alongside reported overdose cases treated at a local hospital over the past year, AT5 reports.

Ozempic was originally developed as a treatment for people with diabetes to help regulate blood sugar levels. However, the drug also suppresses appetite, a side effect that has attracted interest from people without diabetes, driven in part by discussions on social media and in Hollywood.

Dietitians say the medication is now appearing more frequently in public advertising, including on the streets of Amsterdam, and warn that this visibility may contribute to misuse.

Data obtained by AT5 from the city hospital OLVG show that between five and ten patients were treated in the emergency department over the past year for Ozempic overdoses. Dietitians warn that people who overdose may experience intestinal problems and vomiting.

“If you lose muscle tissue, you end up in a situation where you gain weight even more easily when you stop using the drug,” said Raoul Buiter, chair of Diëtistengroep Amsterdam.

Buiter and Diëtistengroep Amsterdam are calling for government intervention in response to the drug’s increasing presence and misuse, though they did not specify what measures should be taken.

“I cannot say exactly how they should do it, but it is clear that something needs to be done,” Buiter told AT5.