Mum who wanted Ozempic prescribed for her children 'left in despair' at GP reply

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A mum was "left in despair" when her GP refused to prescribe her two overweight children with a controversial weight loss drug.Stephanie Caruthers has blasted her doctor after hoping she could use Ozempic to tackle her eight-year-old son and her teenage daughter's obesity.

The doctor said he could not give - or even recommend - the drug for anyone aged under 18. While Stephanie was prescribed with the anti-diabetic medication, it is understood the GP said she would have to make lifestyle changes for her children.As the Mirror reports, Ozempic is heavily prescribed to children in the US, where children aged 13 and older can be given it.

However, according to GP guidelines it cannot be prescribed to anyone under 18 in the UK. But a two-and-a-half-year-long trial, which started last April, involves some 200 overweight children with an obesity-related health problem – either type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.

It is taking place in four hospitals, in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds and Liverpool to ultimately shed light on whether children should be prescribed Ozempic here.Writing for the Daily Mail, Stephanie said: "The GP, knowing my history, recognised I needed Ozempic to help me lose weight and tackle the ‘food noise’ I hear constantly.