Canadian pharmacy platform to offer India-sourced Ozempic to US patients

By Siddhi Mahatole

Jan 7 (Reuters) – Online pharmacy platform SaveRxCanada.to said on Wednesday it has begun offering Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster diabetes drug, Ozempic, sourced from India to U.S. patients, as demand for cheaper options grows.

The Canada-based company said the India-sourced Ozempic injections are priced from about $280 per pen, compared with U.S. retail pharmacy prices that typically range between $900 and $1,100 per pen depending on dose and location.

A Novo Nordisk spokesperson said the company will investigate the matter.

“We refer you to the firm for questions about distribution channels,” a Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said, pointing consumers to the FDA’s BeSafeRx resource on how to safely buy prescription medicines online.

SaveRxCanada.to did not respond to a request for additional details on sourcing.

The platform is offering several pre-filled pens including 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg doses, and said products clearly disclose the manufacturer and country of origin.

All orders require a valid prescription and include free shipping, it added.

“Many patients are actively comparing prescription costs as U.S. prices continue to rise,” the company said in a statement.

The platform, which describes itself as an international prescription referral service, said it has operated for 24 years connecting patients with licensed pharmacies outside the United States.

International pharmacy services have drawn interest from U.S. consumers facing rising out-of-pocket drug expenses.

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Shreya Biswas)