What did @thedominiquetay actually say?
Dr. Taylor's core claim is that Novo Nordisk let a Canadian patent on semaglutide lapse, that the patent was set to expire in 2028 but will now expire in early 2026, and that a Canadian generics company called "Sandos" is positioned to manufacture and sell generic injectable and oral semaglutide. She also argues that the FDA has "streamlined" a process for Americans and pharmacies to import those generics from Canada. She frames this as a silver lining after compounded semaglutide was removed from the FDA shortage list.
That's a lot of moving pieces, and some of them are real, some are half-right, and at least one is significantly overstated. Let's go through them.
Does the science and regulatory record back this up?
The core patent story has real legs, but the timeline and the U.S. import pathway are murkier than she makes them sound. Yes, a Canadian patent covering semaglutide did lapse earlier than its scheduled 2028 expiration, reportedly due to non-renewal by Novo Nordisk. The company that filed to manufacture generic semaglutide in Canada is Sandoz (not "Sandos"), one of the world's largest generics manufacturers and a legitimate, well-capitalized operation. Health Canada's patent database confirmed the lapse, and Canadian generic manufacturers can move quickly once a patent clears.
However, a Canadian patent lapsing does not automatically create a legal U.S. import pathway. The FDA's personal importation policy and its draft guidance on importation programs under Section 804 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act are narrow and apply primarily to state-level importation programs, not individual pharmacies sourcing products on demand. No FDA-approved generic semaglutide exists for the U.S. market, and the agency would still need to review any Abbreviated New Drug Application or a 505(b)(2) pathway before that product could be legally distributed domestically.
What did they get wrong, and what did they get right?
Credit where it's due: the patent lapse story is real, the company name is close enough, and the general direction of her argument, that this opens a door toward lower-cost semaglutide, is reasonable. She's not making things up.
But a few things need correcting plainly.
- The drug name: She repeatedly says "smegalotide" and "tears of appetite," which are mangled versions of semaglutide and tirzepatide. For a creator with a medical title, that's sloppy and it erodes trust.
- The FDA import claim: Saying the FDA "streamlined" access for U.S. pharmacies to import Canadian generics is a significant overstatement. FDA Section 804 importation programs are active in only a small number of states and cover specific drug categories. They are not a general pipeline for telehealth platforms to source foreign generics.
- Brand name confusion: She says "Norvo" instead of Novo Nordisk, a minor slip but worth noting in a medical context.
- No equivalency disclaimer: She implies a Canadian generic would be interchangeable with FDA-approved branded semaglutide products for U.S. patients. That has not been established and cannot be assumed.
What should you actually know?
A few concrete facts to anchor your thinking here. First, semaglutide's U.S. patent portfolio is extensive. Novo Nordisk holds dozens of patents covering the molecule, formulations, delivery devices, and manufacturing processes. A single Canadian patent lapsing does not clear the U.S. market for generics. The earliest realistic timeline for broad U.S. generic availability has been estimated at 2031 to 2033 by patent analysts tracking the full portfolio (Wouters et al., 2022, JAMA).
Second, Sandoz is a credible manufacturer. It has the infrastructure to produce injectable biologics and small molecules at scale. If Health Canada approves a generic semaglutide, that product will meet Canadian regulatory standards, but it would not automatically meet FDA standards for U.S. sale or import.
Third, the FDA's removal of semaglutide from the shortage list in early 2024 changed the legal ground under compounding pharmacies significantly. 503A and 503B compounders are no longer permitted to compound copies of semaglutide under shortage-based exemptions. That is the "bad news" Dr. Taylor references, and she gets that context right.
Bottom line: the patent lapse is a real and potentially meaningful development. But the leap from "Canadian patent lapsed" to "Americans can get cheap generic semaglutide soon" skips several regulatory and legal steps that are not resolved.