Slovak Doctors Outside Diabetes and Weight Management Specialties Prescribing Popular Weight-Loss Drugs

Weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro have become increasingly popular in Slovakia, with growing demand from people without diabetes who pay for the drugs themselves while requiring a doctor's prescription. Pharmacists report encountering prescriptions for these appetite-suppressing medications from doctors whose specializations are unrelated to obesity or diabetes treatment, including pediatric neurologists, dentists, and dermatologists. The drugs, originally designed for diabetes management, can be legally prescribed to non-diabetic patients for weight loss, but the practice of doctors outside relevant specialties writing prescriptions raises questions about appropriate medical oversight in Slovakia's healthcare system.