A shortage of an important diabetic medication caused by a social media frenzy promoting it as a weight loss drug could continue for months.

Semaglutide – sold as Ozempic – is a prescription-only injectable drug that helps manage blood sugar in type 2 diabetics.

But there has been extensive off-label prescribing for weight loss after viral social media videos on the drug’s possible side effect.

Several several social media support groups have launched for people using the drug to manage weight, including an Australian group with more than 25,000 members.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ spokesman Gary Deed said many of his diabetes patients had been unable to fill their scripts.

“Yes it is effective for weight loss but only in very high dosages,” he told Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings.

“There are many more medications that can work for weight loss, and your GP has access to all of those.”

Press PLAY below to hear more from Dr Gary Deed on the drug and shortage