On April 24, the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) authorized the use of the drug Wegovy (semaglutide) for weight control and with the aim of solving the problems of supply of medicines analogous to GLP-1 to treat obesity, like Ozempic. As of May 1, this drug developed by the Danish company Novo Nordisk is now available in our country.
How it works and for whom Wegovy is indicated
Wegovy belongs to the family of GLP-1 analogues and contains the active ingredient semaglutide, which it shares with Ozempic, derived from a naturally occurring hormone that is released from the intestine after eating. As the drug’s technical information sheet indicates: “it works by acting on regions (receptors) of the brain that control appetite, causing you to feel fuller and less hungry, and to experience less craving for food.” In this way, the patient eats less food and this contributes to reducing his body weight.
GLP-1 analogue medications are indicated to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes whose disease is not adequately controlled by diet or for weight control in certain situations, such as in those patients with a body mass index between 27 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2 (overweight) and at least one comorbidity associated with weight such as diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular disease. In both types of patients, the use of these drugs for weight control should always be combined with a healthy diet and increased physical activity.
How much will Wegovy cost?
Wegovy will not be financed by public health, so users will have to pay the entire amount. The price of Wegovy in Spain will be 128 euros per box and can be purchased in pharmacies, but as long as it has been prescribed by a professional, so it is necessary to present a medical prescription.
There are no miracle drugs to lose weight without effort
“Wegovy is the same as Ozempic, the active ingredient is the same (semaglutide), and it is also marketed by the same company. It is nothing new, only the therapeutic indications are expanding in Spain,” explained Josefa García Barrado, professor of Pharmacology and researcher in the Neuroendocrinology and Obesity group at the University of Salamanca in statements to Science Media Center Spain.
“In the absence of truly useful pharmacological strategies for the treatment of obesity, semaglutide (that is, Wegovy) has represented a significant improvement as an aid for these patients, but always under medical prescription. Pharmacological treatment is useless without the complement of a balanced diet, physical exercise and health supervision. The miracle drug that makes you lose weight without any effort on the part of the user does not exist,” adds the expert.
“In addition, these drugs have certain adverse effects that users should be aware of, which is why they should always be dispensed with a medical prescription. Type 2 diabetics with obesity could be the most affected in the event of a shortage, but there is a wide arsenal of antidiabetic drugs from the same family and from other families that can replace them.”
“Pharmacological treatment is useless without the complement of a balanced diet, physical exercise and health supervision”
“Tirzapatide (Mounjaro), Lilly’s molecule, will try to compete for the obesity indication. So far it is authorized only for type 2 diabetes but five global phase 3, randomized and controlled trials (SURPASS 1-5) also demonstrated significant efficacy in weight loss.”
“Of course, the indiscriminate use of Wegovy can produce, firstly, supply problems and serious harm to those who really need it and, secondly, a health problem for those who do not follow medical supervision. The contraindications and adverse effects of these drugs are in some cases serious, such as acute pancreatitis, although it is not common,” concludes García Barrado.
