Wegovy: Weight loss drug to be available from GPs in pilot scheme

GPs in England will be able to prescribe a weight loss drug to patients with obesity as part of a new £40m government pilot designed to widen access to the treatment.

Earlier this year the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended the use of semaglutide (Wegovy) by adults who have at least one weight related comorbidity and a BMI of at least 35.1 The drug, a weekly self-administered injection, works by suppressing appetite by mimicking the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). Other weight loss drugs are currently under consideration in clinical trials.

NICE has stipulated that semaglutide be available only within the NHS’s specialist weight management services, in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity. This means …