Workers in the North have long known the sting of paying more for less. Now, a new report reveals that Canadians are accessing a cheaper generic version of Ozempic while Americans pay nearly double. The reason: a pricing model similar to the UK’s NHS, which negotiates bulk discounts and caps prices. For ordinary people, this isn't just a pharmaceutical story. It's about who gets to live without fear of a diabetic coma or a bankrupting bill for weight-loss drugs.
The drug, semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk, is a blockbuster for diabetes and weight loss. In the US, a month’s supply can cost over $1,000. In Canada, a generic version is available for around $150. The difference? Canada’s Patented Medicine Prices Review Board sets maximum prices. The UK’s NHS does the same, using cost-effectiveness thresholds. Activists say this proves that a public system can deliver fairness.
“This is a slap in the face for American patients,” said Rachel Thomas, a nurse in Manchester. “Our NHS gets a fair price. Why can’t others?” The report, published by the advocacy group Patients for Affordable Drugs, points out that the UK pays about 40% less than the US for Ozempic. The generic Canadian version is even cheaper.
But there is a catch. Novo Nordisk has limited supply of the cheaper generic in Canada to avoid undercutting its US profits. This has sparked anger. “It’s profiteering at the expense of health,” said Dr. James Connolly, a GP in Leeds. “The NHS model shows that you can have innovation and equity. The US system is broken.”
For the millions of Americans with diabetes, this is a crisis. More than 30 million have diabetes, many relying on drugs like Ozempic. Without insurance, the cost is crippling. High-deductible plans mean many skip doses or go into debt. In Canada, the generic version is widely available, albeit with some shortages. In the UK, the NHS has approved Ozempic for weight loss in some cases, but only for those with a BMI over 35 and other conditions.
The report calls for the US to adopt similar pricing mechanisms. But the pharmaceutical lobby remains powerful. In the UK, the NHS uses NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) to assess value. That bargaining power saves billions.
For workers in the North, this resonates. We know that the cost of living crisis hits hardest where wages are lowest. Diabetes rates are higher in poorer areas. The fight for fair drug pricing is a fight for our lives. As one commenter on a local Facebook group put it: “They want us fat and sick. Then they charge us for the cure.”
The irony is that UK taxpayers fund the research that leads to these drugs through public universities and the NHS. Yet Americans pay most of the cost. “We need a system that puts patients before profits,” said Thomas. “If Canada and the UK can do it, so can the US.”
Until then, the disparity remains a stark reminder of the inequality at the heart of the global pharmaceutical industry. For the woman in Rotherham trying to manage her diabetes, or the man in Middlesbrough struggling with obesity, the NHS is a lifesaver. But for millions in America, access to affordable drugs is a dream deferred. This report shows it doesn’t have to be that way. Fair pricing is possible. It’s a matter of political will.
