What is Wegovy - the new 'game-changing' weight loss drug?
It's the drug used by celebrities in the US, but are there any drawbacks?
An appetite-suppressant drug will soon be available on prescription through the NHS.
But who will benefit from the weight loss injections, and are they all they're cracked up to be?
What is the drug?
Semaglutide, also known as Wegovy, has been hailed a “game changer”.
The drug, manufactured by Danish firm Novo Nordisk, is an appetite suppressant which is delivered via a weekly injection.
Patients inject themselves weekly with the drug, which mimics the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that is released after eating.
This makes people feel full, meaning they eat less and lose weight.
Dr Stephen Lawrence, associate clinical professor at the University of Warwick, told ITV News: "You’re seeing somewhere in the region of 16% weight loss, that’s more than double the previous medications that we’ve seen come to market."
Wegovy and Ozempic are different brand names for a drug called semaglutide, as Cree-Summer Haughton reports
Who will be eligible to use it?
Guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) says the drug will only be offered on the NHS to adults with at least one weight-related condition and a body mass index (BMI) score of at least 35.
The weight-related conditions that make obese people eligible include type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia (unbalanced or unhealthy cholesterol levels), obstructive sleep apnoea and heart disease.
People will only be given Wegovy on prescription as part of a specialist weight management service involving input from several professionals, and for a maximum of two years.
The drug, which is given via a pen injector, is to be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, Nice said.
Thousands of people will be eligible when the drug becomes available.
But when the drug is available to buy privately – a number of UK pharmacies have already said they will offer the drug once it becomes available – the rules may be slightly different.
"It may be that some private sector organisations would consider a lower threshold because it is safe and effective for people who are between 30-35 BMI," says Dr Luke Pratsides, lead GP at digital health clinic Numan.
The patient information leaflet for the drug states that it can be used among anyone with a BMI score over 30 – with or without other health conditions, and among people with a BMI score of 27 to 30 who also have another weight-related health condition.
Nice said that its conditions for the NHS offer represents “value for money for the taxpayer”.
Which celebrities are thought to use it?
The drug is thought to be favoured by some celebrities.
When asked about his physique, Twitter owner Elon Musk has publicly said his secret was “fasting and Wegovy”. Reality star Kim Kardashian and TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson are also reported to have used the drug.
When will it be available in the UK?
There are reports of shortages of the drug due to its growing popularity, but the manufacturer is said to be ramping up production to meet the rise in demand. Novo Nordisk said in a statement that it was working to get the drug to the UK “as soon as possible”.
As soon as it is available commercially, the NHS has three months to implement the Nice recommendations.
Are there side-effects?
A previous study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that nausea and diarrhoea were the most common side-effects, but these were “typically transient and mild-to-moderate in severity and subsided with time”.
What have the experts said?
Many have described the decision as a key development for the treatment of people living with obesity, but at the same time warn that the drug is not a “quick fix”.
But Dr Lawrence warned the medication is “not a quick fix or a replacement for following a healthy lifestyle, which includes regular physical activity and healthy eating”.
Dr Pratsides said users of Wegovy must be "supported clinically either through the NHS or the private sector - make sure you get it from a reputable organisation that is regulated by the Care Quality Commission."
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Eating disorder charity Beat raised concerns about the drug.
Tom Quinn, Beat’s director of external affairs, said: “Weight-loss medications like semaglutide can be extremely attractive to people with eating disorders as they appear to provide quick results.
“However, these medications can be very dangerous as they can worsen harmful thoughts and behaviours for those unwell, or contribute to an eating disorder developing for someone who is already vulnerable.”
How much will it cost?
The list price of semaglutide 0.25mg, 0.5mg and 1mg is £73.25 per pack (four pre-filled pens excluding VAT). But the NHS price agreed with NHS England for the drug has not been disclosed.
The dosage schedule for patients is put at an induction dose of 0.25mg, increasing every four weeks to a maintenance dose of 2.4mg.