Novo Nordisk Savings Card Routes Ozempic Discount Through Rexall

Novo Nordisk Canada said Tuesday that eligible Canadians without public or private coverage can begin buying brand-name Ozempic at a reduced price starting Friday, with the discount delivered through a Novo Nordisk Savings Card that excludes Quebec [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/].

How the discount is delivered

According to the Danish drugmaker, the Savings Card can be used at local pharmacies across Canada, excluding Quebec, and will be applied automatically at Novo Nordisk Care Rx operated by Rexall [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/]. Iain Graham, general manager at Novo Nordisk Canada, said the company is "dedicated to ensuring that eligible patients who choose Ozempic can stay on the brand because of these additional savings" [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/]. Novo Nordisk framed the program as "aligning their medication costs with generic alternatives" [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/].

The generic backdrop

The announcement follows Health Canada's authorizations of two generic semaglutide injections — Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Apotex — making Canada only the second country in the world to approve a generic version of the drug [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166]. Seven other generic applications remain under review at Health Canada [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166]. CBC reported that Health Canada is reviewing nine submissions for generic versions of semaglutide [Source: cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-glp1-health-canada-generic-9.7034498].

Apotex, which began shipping its product on Tuesday, said its generic semaglutide will be approximately one-third the price of Novo Nordisk's brand-name Ozempic [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/]. Dr. Reddy's said its semaglutide has already arrived in "select" Canadian pharmacies and will be available more widely in the coming days, while declining to disclose pricing details other than to say it will be "competitive" [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/]. The Dr. Reddy's product became available in Canada on May 15 [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166].

Brand pricing context

Global News reported that Ozempic and Wegovy currently cost hundreds of dollars a month, depending on the dosage dispensed, in some cases more than $450 [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/]. Current pharmacy listings on GLP1Prices.ca show 1 mg Ozempic ranging from $230 at Costco Pharmacy to $429.79 at PharmaServe in Ontario [Source: glp1prices.ca/]. Novo Nordisk has not specified the reduced figure the Savings Card will deliver at participating pharmacies [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/].

Coverage landscape unchanged

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic are usually covered for Type 2 diabetes under public drug plans, but only a small number of private insurers cover the use of the drugs for weight management [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/]. Ontario lists Ozempic as a "Limited Use drug," requiring physician confirmation that it meets the specific needs of the patient, while Alberta treats Ozempic as a step therapy, requiring patients to try other treatments first [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/].

Negotiations that could have led to coverage of Wegovy under Canadian public health plans broke down in December 2025 [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/]. The pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance has stated on its website that those negotiations "concluded without agreement (manufacturer declined negotiation)" [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/].

Why Canada first

BMJ reported that Canada's status as the second country to clear a generic Ozempic was made possible after Novo Nordisk did not pay a C$250 annual fee [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166]. Erez Israeli, chief executive of Dr Reddy's, said in a press release that the company remains "dedicated to expanding access to innovative, high-quality, affordable GLP-1 treatments for patients with diabetes in the country" [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166].

What to watch

• Whether Novo Nordisk publishes the specific Savings Card price tier [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/]
• Pharmacy-by-pharmacy uptake at chains outside Rexall [Source: globalnews.ca/news/11863331/novo-nordisk-slash-ozempic-price-generics/]
• Progress on the remaining generic applications still before Health Canada [Source: bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-597166]

Readers comparing options can review our generic semaglutide tracker, the insurance coverage checker, and the FAQ. Pricing pages are also available for Mounjaro, Zepbound and Rybelsus.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.