In Latvia, significant concerns have emerged regarding the prescription practices of diabetes and obesity medications known as 'Ozempic' and 'Rybelsus'. Reports indicate that certain patients have been issued over 100 prescriptions in a single year, prompting the National Health Service (NVD) to initiate investigations. During a meeting of the Social and Employment Affairs Committee of the Saeima, NVD representatives shared that additional control mechanisms are planned to address this issue, which has garnered attention due to the rising demand for certain prescription medications in recent years.

The increase in prescriptions comes against the backdrop of 'Ozempic' gaining notoriety as a 'miracle drug' for weight loss, particularly for treating type 2 diabetes. Data presented by the NVD showed a notable rise in patients receiving more than 20 packs of 'Ozempic' yearly, swelling from 180 in 2024 to 203 in 2025. This surge is paralleled by an increase in the number of unique prescribers, including general practitioners, who are contributing to the distribution of these medications.

As the situation develops, the Latvian Medicine Verification Organization has highlighted the importance of monitoring prescription trends to prevent potential misuse and ensure that these medications are used appropriately for their intended purposes. The upcoming investigations could lead to significant policy changes in the prescription of weight management treatments and stress the need for stringent regulations in the pharmaceutical sector to ensure patient safety and proper management of health resources.