Popular weight loss drug Wegovy, from the same company that makes the Ozempic diabetes treatment, is expected to be available in Ireland from Monday.
Wegovy works by suppressing people’s appetites and making people feel full. It is given as a weekly injection.
The pre-filled pen-like tools can be used by patients at home to inject themselves in the stomach, upper leg, or arm. For now, it is expected to be only available for those who can pay.
However, it is understood manufacturers Novo Nordisk have committed to working with the HSE to have Wegovy included under the community drug schemes.
This treatment must be prescribed by a doctor and is only available through pharmacies on prescription
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has advised it can be used together with diet and physical activity to help people to lose weight. It can also be used to keep weight under control.
“Studies have shown that Wegovy is effective in helping people lose weight, with a significant proportion of them achieving at least a 5% weight reduction,” the agency said.
It contains the same active substance — semaglutide — as Ozempic, which is only licenced for diabetes treatment in Europe.
The agency has advised it is used in adults who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or greater with at least one health condition that it related to weight.
Teens who weight more than 60kg and struggle with obesity can also use the treatment, the agency added.
The world’s richest man Elon Musk is a fan of the drug. Back in 2022, in an answer to a question about his health, the controversial boss of Tesla and advisor to US president Donald Trump posted on his social media platform X that he uses Wegovy.
Tesla Elon Musk has previously spoken about his use of the weigh loss drug on X. File Picture: Susan Walsh/AP
Would-be users of the new drug are also advised of potential side-effects including severe nausea, vomiting and headaches.
They are also advised to consider that taking the medication is a long-term commitment.
Lloyds Pharmacy in England, for example, advises on its website about these weight-loss drugs in general that “if you stop treatment, it’s likely you will notice that your appetite returns in full within a week or so”.
Because of this, many people put weight back on, it said. The pharmacy recommends accepting that the injections are not a quick fix.
“During your time on the treatment, if you’ve managed to make some healthy lifestyle changes too, it will be far easier to keep the weight off,” it said.