Weight-loss jab Wegovy made obtainable on NHS as producer says shares are restricted
Weight-loss jab Wegovy is now obtainable to NHS sufferers – however solely by way of specialist weight administration companies.
The weekly injection has been hailed as a surprise drug by these desirous to shed weight, from celebrities to weight problems sufferers.
The NHS rollout of the drug shall be restricted to individuals needing medical assist to drop extra pounds.
Only sufferers with a BMI over 30, or greater than 27 with one weight-related comorbidity, will be capable of entry the drug.
The drug, also called semaglutide, shall be prescribed alongside a diminished calorie weight-reduction plan and train from September 4.
Semaglutide works by mimicking the hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide one) to handle starvation and decelerate digestion.
It can also be the lively ingredient in Ozempic, which was the primary of the load loss jabs to explode on TikTok.
Read extra:
Ozempic to Wegovy: benefits and downsides
Wegovy supply issues as private clinics stockpile
How does semaglutide work?
The National Institute for Care and Excellence (Nice) gave Wegovy the green light for NHS use earlier this yr.
Its steerage stated it ought to be used for a most of two years.
About 50,000 NHS sufferers in England could possibly be prescribed Wegovy, an NHS spokesperson stated.
But the drug is briefly provide.
Wegovy producer Novo Nordisk stated it expects provide “to be constrained for the foreseeable future”.
A “proportion of available supply” has been allotted to NHS companies.
“We will continue to work with healthcare professionals to help ensure that patients with the highest unmet medical need are prioritised,” the corporate stated.
The drug can even be obtainable privately, however the producer has not disclosed how a lot it will value.
In the US, the drug sells for as a lot as $1,350 (£1,070) a month.
The NHS has additionally been urged to make use of digital platforms to prescribe weight reduction medication in future.
In draft tips, NICE beneficial the usage of 4 on-line platforms that enable specialists to offer digital care to weight problems sufferers, saying face-to-face settings have been unable to fulfill demand.