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The weight loss medication semaglutide (Wegovy) will soon be available from specialist NHS services, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has announced.
Semaglutide is recommended for adults who have at least one weight-related comorbidity and a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35kg/m2. A weight-related comorbidity could be one of: dysglycaemia, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnoea or cardiovascular disease.
It is recommended alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, and will only be prescribed for a maximum of two years within a specialist weight management service providing multidisciplinary management of overweight or obesity.
Semaglutide will be available to NHS patients as soon as the drug’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, launches the drug in England.
How does semaglutide work?
Semaglutide is administered subcutaneously via injection once weekly. The drug works by helping the pancreas to release the right amount of insulin when blood sugar levels are high.
It mimics the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which is released after eating, creating a feeling of fullness, and therefore suppressing appetite.
The drug has historically been used to help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. It is also used to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death in patients with type 2 diabetes and heart or blood vessel disease.
Are there any side effects to semaglutide?
Common side effects include nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting. However, some users report becoming physically repulsed by food, and feel nauseous at just the thought of eating.
One study, published in the journal Neuropharmacology, found that this feeling of nausea was integral to reducing food intake. “Whether food intake suppression occurs independently of nausea is unknown,” the authors wrote.
Dr Daniel Ghiyam, a Family Medicine Specialist in Simi Valley, California, told Sky News: “The biggest complaint I get is patients going to their favourite restaurant, and saying ‘I had two bites of a steak and I can’t eat it, I feel sick’.”
For this reason, the approval of semaglutide has become a controversial topic, with critics dubbing it “an eating disorder in an injection”.
Nevertheless, semaglutide has been proven to be an effective weight loss solution, enabling patients to lose on average 12% more of their body weight compared to weight loss support alone.
Semaglutide “won’t be available to everyone”
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said: “For some people losing weight is a real challenge which is why a medicine like semaglutide is a welcome option.
“It won’t be available to everyone. Our committee has made specific recommendations to ensure it remains value for money for the taxpayer, and it can only be used for a maximum of two years.
“We are pleased to finally publish our final guidance on semaglutide which will mean some people will be able to access this much talked about drug on the NHS.”