This is an arrival that should not go unnoticed. The Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk has just launched, this Tuesday, October 8, the marketing in France of its successful anti-obesity treatment, Wegovy. Pharmacies in France will be able to deliver this medicine to patients with a prescription starting today. The laboratory ensures that it has planned sufficient stocks to meet demand. The only major drawback is that patients will have to pay for the product entirely out of their own pocket, as it is not currently reimbursed by health insurance.
Authorized in the European Union since January 2022, this weight loss drug, which shows particularly promising clinical results (a weight loss of around 15% on average), was until now only available to a handful of patients in France. Since July 2022, around 8,000 patients suffering from severe obesity have been able to benefit from it free of charge within the framework of early access, a derogation system aimed at accelerating the availability in the national territory of treatments considered innovative.
This is no longer the case. However, this medicinal treatment, which comes in the form of pre-filled injection pens, is not available to everyone who wants it. Its use is reserved for patients with severe obesity, that is, with a body mass index greater than 35 kg/m2, and those under 65 years of age, according to the framework defined by health authorities. Furthermore, its prescription is only indicated as a secondary intention, when nutritional support does not give satisfactory results. Finally, treatment should be followed in addition to a low-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
Nor is it about opening the door to misuse, to those deviations of the product for purely aesthetic purposes, popularized by influencers on social networks and Hollywood stars who want to lose a few extra kilos. To avoid this situation, the National Agency for Medicines and Health Products announced, this Tuesday, October 8, to restrict the prescription conditions of all GLP-1 analogues, a family of medicines of which Wegovy is a part. Only doctors specialized in endocrinology, diabetology and nutrition will be authorized to initially prescribe Wegovy, says the medicines watchdog.
More than 8 million people suffer from obesity
You have 53.46% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
