Kosovan influencer Tringa Kadriu sees the weight loss drug Ozempic as a chance to shed excess pounds—and she is not alone in the Balkan country, where more than half of the population is overweight.
"I want to lose 15-16 kilos in two months, and then I'll continue with the gym," the 29-year-old Kadriu told AFP.
Ozempic, approved in the US for the treatment of diabetes in 2017, has found an international market for people trying to lose weight.
Despite its cost, the drug has become extremely popular in Kosovo, which has a population of 1.7 million.
Although Kosovo authorities have not approved the drug for weight loss, they note their limited ability to control its distribution.
Merita Emin-Sadiku, who heads the endocrinology clinic at Kosovo's university hospital, said the price of the drug had skyrocketed.
"The monthly dose was €75-80 ($85-91), and now it's €130-140 ($147-159), probably because of high demand," she said.
However, Sadiku warned that "Ozempic has side effects that people are not aware of."
According to the latest studies, the use of Ozempic can lead to problems including thyroid cancer, pancreatitis, gastroparesis, and intestinal obstruction. | BGNES, AFP