Between 2023 and 2025, hundreds of thousands of Type 2 diabetes patients were unable to access semaglutide due to off-label prescriptions for the drugs in individuals seeking weight loss. The GLP-1RA shortage exposed major fragilities in drug manufacturing, although it is one of a plethora of pressures that can affect global pharma supply chains at any time.

2025 was a particularly volatile year for international supply networks of medicines. US President Donald Trump carried out major trade reform via the imposition of tariffs, with a long-term goal of onshoring much of the prescription drugs used in the US. Other geopolitical challenges included the rise of China in the drug development scene, creating a competitive closed market in the country, leading to sluggish revenues for many Western healthcare companies.

Then there was the utilisation of drugs themselves. Prescriptions for GLP-1RAs have soared over recent years, creating significant revenue streams for pharma heavyweights such as Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. Both companies have invested billions of dollars in manufacturing networks to keep up with the demand of their products. These investments are ongoing amid the looming entry of oral weight loss drugs; Novo has already won approval, while Lilly still waits for review.