COVID Vaccine Messaging is the Reason for Ozempic's Sudden Rise

"Get the Jab" sloganeering led to the widespread adoption of more than just COVID-19 vaccines.

In my estimation, the incessant demands to "take the shot" and "get the jab", disseminated by an determined of government entities, media outlets, and celebrities have significantly contributed to the unexpected surge of interest in Ozempic.

Historically, pharmaceutical companies have demonstrated reticence towards developing elective or semi-elective peptide compounds. Their reasoning was that these compounds usually necessitated injections, and a substantial portion of the general public harbored strong resistance against receiving shots regularly unless it was absolutely essential. The fear of needles, coupled with the discomfort and inconvenience, meant that most people had no interest in using a drug like Ozempic for a first-world indication like weight loss.

Ozempic, a semaglutide-based drug, had been on the market for years. It was heavily promoted through a variety of advertising channels. They even composed a catchy jingle based on the Pilot’s 1975 hit song “Magic.” However, its sales, while significant, grew steadily but unremarkably until the era of unrelenting "get the jab" campaigns. Following this mass-scale promotion of the COVID-19 vaccines, Ozempic's sales skyrocketed, demonstrating a notable shift in public perception and acceptance.

Interestingly, people could have easily opted for Rybelsus, which is essentially an orally administered version of semiglutide. This would have avoided the need for injections entirely. However, the public's preference had notably leaned towards the injectable version, suggesting that the collective mindset had grown more accepting of treatments that required regular shots.

Ozempic and other semiglutide formulations weren't the sole beneficiaries of this shift in consumer behavior. PCSK-9 inhibitors, a new breed of injectable drugs engineered to reduce LDL cholesterol (often labeled as the "bad" cholesterol), also reported a sudden surge in sales. These statistics underline a fascinating trend: the global messaging about "getting the jab" seems to have unintentionally led to a broad acceptance, or at least tolerance, of injectable pharmaceuticals, with the makers of drugs like Ozempic and Repatha reaping the benefits.