The Health Insurance Agency has announced the end of stocks of one of the widely administered injectables for diabetes, while urgently appealing to doctors to transfer all their patients to another medication.
The change concerns diabetics who have been receiving the injectable drug Victoza (liraglutide) to date, with the HIO calling on doctors to transfer their patients to Ozempic (which contains a different substance, semaglutide).
Specifically, in an announcement sent to personal doctors, endocrinologists, pathologists, geriatricians and private pharmacies, the HIO informs that patients already on treatment with Victoza must be transferred to treatment with semaglutide (Ozempic) and that the process will be implemented from June 1, 2026, with treating doctors being invited to submit new pre-approval requests through a special form accompanying the announcement.
According to the HIO, separate drug codes have been created exclusively for patients who are already approved and receive Victoza through the GHS. The available options are for Ozempic in doses of 0.5 mg and 1 mg.
The Organization asks doctors to proceed with the relevant applications in a timely manner, in order to avoid delays in the evaluation and continuation of the treatment of patients.
