BBC: US Patients Eye Canadian Generic Semaglutide as Prices Diverge

Canadian generics now reaching pharmacies

Health Canada authorized the first generic semaglutide injection on April 28, 2026, calling it the first such authorization in the G7 [Source: canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2026/04/canada-becomes-the-first-g7-country-to-approve-a-generic-version-of-semaglutide.html]. The submission was filed by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and is a generic version of Ozempic, indicated for the once-weekly treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes to manage blood sugar levels [Source: canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2026/04/canada-becomes-the-first-g7-country-to-approve-a-generic-version-of-semaglutide.html].

The BBC reports that the discounted medications were expected to be in pharmacies across Canada as of the beginning of June, at less than a third of the cost of the brand-name drug [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo]. The Dr. Reddy's version became available in Canada on May 15, according to the BMJ [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166].

Patient cost burden documented

The BBC profiled Elizabeth Doran, a 69-year-old retiree in Ottawa who was prescribed Wegovy rather than Ozempic, paying between C$350 and C$500 out of pocket per month and picking up substitute teaching shifts to afford the medication [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo]. These figures sit within the current pharmacy price range tracked on GLP1Prices.ca, where Wegovy retails between C$270 and C$550 and Ozempic between C$215 and C$663.

A second patient, Esther Linetsky, told the BBC she had to temporarily stop the drug because increasing the dose would have increased her cost [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo].

Cross-border interest from the United States

The BBC reports that Ozempic costs upwards of US$1,000 per month for uninsured Americans, and that more than 15 million American adults are estimated to take GLP-1 medications [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo]. Tahir Amin, CEO and founder of the Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge, told the BBC that Americans would not see a generic until 2032, when the main compound patent protecting semaglutide is expected to expire [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo].

Amin said conversations were likely already swirling among Americans on how they could access low-cost generic Ozempic from Canada [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo]. The BBC notes that in 2023, British Columbia placed restrictions on Americans purchasing its Ozempic after finding 15% of prescriptions for the drug came from the United States, mostly through Canada-based online pharmacies [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo].

Why Canada moved first

According to Amin, Novo Nordisk's patent on Ozempic could have been extended until 2028 in Canada but the company failed to renew it [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo]. The BMJ reported the generic approval was made possible after Novo Nordisk did not pay a C$250 annual fee [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166].

Novo Nordisk told the BBC the introduction of generics in Canada was a "localized situation based on our specific patent timelines and regulatory environment" and does not reflect the situation in the United States, where exclusivity remains intact [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo].

Manufacturers weigh US strategy

Erez Israeli, CEO of Dr. Reddy's, told the BBC his company had applied for approval in more than 80 countries, including the US, but expects its generic GLP-1 to be available in South America, Africa and most of Asia, not in the US, UK or Europe [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo]. Apotex has secured tentative approval from the US Food and Drug Administration but cannot sell its generic semaglutide there yet [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo].

Martin Arès, CEO of Apotex, told the BBC the company was exploring ways to bring its generic to Americans but said it would not be on the US market this year [Source: bbc.com/news/articles/c142y4p2eyxo]. Apotex's vice president of global communications, Catherine Thomas, told CBC News the company's goal was to have the product available in the coming weeks [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-semaglutide-generic-version-canada-9.7184915].

Eight other generic semaglutide submissions remain under review by Health Canada [Source: canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2026/04/canada-becomes-the-first-g7-country-to-approve-a-generic-version-of-semaglutide.html]. Patients monitoring availability can check the generic semaglutide tracker, review options for Mounjaro, or consult our insurance coverage checker and FAQ.