How to navigate the Saxenda shortage

The last thing anyone with a prescription wants to hear is that there is a shortage of the medication they’re supposed to be taking. But that’s been the unfortunate reality for those who take GLP-1s like Saxenda for weight loss. A Saxenda shortage doesn’t have to sidetrack your health journey, though. Read on to learn the reasons why Saxenda may not be available at your pharmacy — and what to do if you can’t fill your prescription.

Is there a shortage of Saxenda?

Yes, according to the FDA, there’s currently a shortage of both forms of liraglutide: Saxenda, which is FDA-approved for weight loss, and Victoza, which is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes. (While this is true at the time of publication, things can change — visit the FDA tracker for the latest shortage information.)

While shortages for Saxenda and other GLP-1 agonist drugs are ongoing, the specific drug and dose in short supply can change weekly or even daily, says Dr. Michelle Ponder, M.D., an endocrinologist and assistant professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, NC.

That means that Saxenda may be on backorder one month, then your pharmacy can have it in stock the next. It all depends on when the maker of the drug, Novo Nordisk, releases shipments of the medicine.

Why is there a shortage of Saxenda?

The main reason for the Saxenda shortage is because of the increasing popularity of GLP-1 medications — a category that also includes Wegovy and Zepbound. From 2014 to 2021, Saxenda was the only GLP-1 FDA-approved for weight loss, and it wasn’t in especially high demand. Less than 6,000 people started the medication each year, according to a Blue Health Intelligence study. 

But in 2021, Wegovy was FDA-approved for weight loss, followed by Zepbound in 2023. These two drugs were highly effective for weight loss — Wegovy leads to an average of 15% weight loss and Zepbound 20% — which led to a dramatic rise in GLP-1s popularity. 

Although Saxenda results in less weight loss than other GLP-1s — two-thirds of people lose at least 5% of their body weight — demand for the drug has also gone up. That’s due, in part, to the rise in popularity of GLP-1 drugs as a whole, says Horn. According to the same Blue Health Intelligence research, new prescriptions for GLP-1 medications surged by more than 2,000% from 2020 to 2023. As people are affected by the shortages of Wegovy and Zepbound, they may turn to Saxenda. The manufacturer can’t produce enough of the drug to meet demand, causing a shortage.

“People are realizing the amazing care they can receive from these medications,” says Dr. Deborah Horn, D.O., medical director at the UT Center of Obesity Medicine and Metabolic Performance, and a clinical associate professor of surgery at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. “Now they know to ask for it.”

Consequences of the Saxenda shortage

If you take Saxenda for weight loss, there may be times when you can’t fill your prescription at your pharmacy. It’s a frustrating situation, says Horn. If you continue to be unable to find the medication and end up missing a few weeks of doses, the effects of the medication, such as appetite suppression, wears off, says Dr. Michael Knight, M.D., a clinical professor of medicine at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. As a result, you may gain back some of the weight you’ve lost.

What’s more, if you go off the medication for a stretch and then restart on the same higher dose you were on before, you may experience side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, says Horn. (Find a full list of Saxenda side effects here.) When you begin taking Saxenda, you start with a small 0.6mg daily dose and gradually increase that amount until you reach 3mg. This allows your body to get used to the medication. If you skip three or more doses of Saxenda, talk to your provider about restarting the medication and at what dose you should start.

What to do if Saxenda is out of stock

If Saxenda is on backorder at your pharmacy, ask the pharmacist if any other locations have it in stock. You may also need to call around to other stores in your area, including mail-order pharmacies.  “Each pharmacy chain has their own supply of these medications,” says Knight, who notes that smaller pharmacies with fewer customers may be more likely to have it. 

If you are a member of WeightWatchers Clinic, you don’t have to do this alone. Your Care Team will handle calling up to 10 pharmacies a week for you to find Saxenda if it’s out of stock. And if you do end up having to miss a week or more, your clinician, Registered Dietitian, and Fitness Coach can help you implement lifestyle changes that’ll keep you on track with your goals.

Saxenda alternatives

In the case of a Saxenda shortage, your healthcare provider may suggest switching to a different weight-loss medication. Your options include:

• Wegovy (semaglutide) or Zepbound (tirzepatide): Like Saxenda, these two drugs are GLP-1s that are approved for weight loss. But they’re not exactly interchangeable, says Horn. While Saxenda is a daily injection, Wegovy and Zepbound are injected weekly and they come in different doses than Saxenda. They are also in short supply, so they’re not always available.
  
  

• Adipex-P (phentermine): This pill was first FDA-approved for weight loss back in 1959 and acts as a stimulant to suppress appetite. But you can only use it in the short-term (up to 12 weeks) because of long-term safety concerns, though some take it longer. 
  
  

• Qsymia (phentermine / topiramate): This drug combines the stimulant phentermine with topiramate, a drug that’s usually prescribed to treat migraines and seizures. It may increase a neurotransmitter in the brain that lessens hunger.
  
  

• Contrave (naltrexone and bupropion) Contrave uses bupropion, an ingredient in antidepressants. It may dampen the brain’s reward centers to calm food cravings.
  
  

• Orlistat (xenical) Orlistat stops your body from absorbing some of the fat in food. This can lead to unpleasant side effects, such as diarrhea.

The bottom line

Because of the fast-growing popularity of GLP-1 medications for weight loss, there is a national Saxenda shortage. If you take the drug, you may not be able to fill your prescription at your local pharmacy and may need to call around to other pharmacies in your area. If you can’t find Saxenda, talk to your healthcare provider about your options.