Diabetes drugs shortages affecting Jersey patients

Tuesday 19 March 2024

Some diabetes patients have had to change their medication as a result of global drug shortages which are expected to last at least until the end of the year.

Medical Director Patrick Armstrong confirmed that there were local shortages of diabetes medication when asked by the Health and Social Services Scrutiny Panel last week.

"Yes, it's an issue in Jersey," he said.

"It's affecting the way that some patients are having to be treated and alternative treatments are being [used] for some patients."

Mr Armstrong added that, with some patients' care affected, the Health Department was using alternative resources "as best we can".

The Medical Director confirmed that, despite patients not getting their preferred treatments, no risk to their safety had been identified.

"It's not that patients aren't getting any treatments," he said.

Pictured: A rise in the the use of diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss has contributed to global shortages of the medication.

In the UK and internationally, a rise in the use of the diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss has contributed to demand for the drug, resulting in worldwide shortages.

Ozempic helps patients with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar.

But it also suppresses patients' appetites, which has made it a popular – but somewhat controversial – weight-loss drug.

England's Department of Health and Social Care as well as NHS England said earlier this year that supplies of the drugs were "limited, with supply not expected to return to normal until at least the end of 2024".

Deputy Louise Doublet, the Health Scrutiny Panel's Chair, said that these shortages were of public concern, evidenced by the fact that the issue had been raised with the panel.

Pictured: Medical Director Patrick Armstrong confirmed that no risk to patient safety had been identified as a result of the drug shortages.

More than 4,500 people in Jersey are living with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and a further 2,000 could be living with the disease without knowing, according to figures released in 2023.

Doctors warned last year that the disease could potentially overwhelm Jersey's health service if no preventative measures were taken.

Mr Armstrong added that drug shortages were "not uncommon", with Jersey usually seeing "around 90 to 100 drugs at any one time where there are shortages" – out of thousands of drugs that are available.

Jersey often sees a reflection of global trends, Mr Armstrong added.

"If the UK is struggling, then other countries will too," he explained.