A “game changer” weight loss injection used by celebrities including Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian is to be made available through the NHS in England for certain people living with obesity, health officials have announced.
Thousands are expected to be offered the appetite suppressant Wegovy on prescription after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) gave it the green light for NHS use.
Experts described the decision as a “pivotal moment” for the treatment of people living with obesity but others warned that the drug is not a “quick fix”.
A previous study found that people who are given the drug, which comes as a weekly injection, saw their weight drop by 12 per cent on average after 68 weeks. It is self-injected into the stomach once a week.
Nice has issued final guidance recommending semaglutide (also known as Wegovy and made by Novo Nordisk) for adults with at least one weight-related condition and a body mass index (BMI) score of at least 35.
The weight-related conditions that make obese people eligible include type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia (unbalanced or unhealthy cholesterol levels), obstructive sleep apnoea and heart disease.
In some cases, people with a BMI of 30 and over may be able to access the drug, which is given via a pen injector.
People will only be given Wegovy on prescription as part of a specialist weight management service involving input from several professionals, and for a maximum of two years.
It is to be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, Nice said.
Patients inject themselves weekly with the drug, which suppresses the appetite through mimicking the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) that is released after eating.
This makes people feel full, meaning they eat less and lose weight.
A previous study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that nausea and diarrhoea were the most common side effects but these were “typically transient and mild-to-moderate in severity and subsided with time”.
The drug will be available to NHS patients soon when the launch of the drug in England is confirmed by manufacturer Novo Nordisk.
The NHS in England is required to implement the Nice recommendations within three months of the product becoming commercially available.
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.”
Twitter boss Elon Musk has said he uses the drug to stay in shape, while Kim Kardashian is rumoured to have used semaglutide to shed 7kg to fit into a dress once worn by Marilyn Monroe.
Dr Stephen Lawrence, associate clinical professor at the University of Warwick, added: “When used in accordance with the prescribed guidelines, it promotes weight loss in a safe and effective way for most people.
“It is important to note, however, that this medication is not a quick fix or a replacement for following a healthy lifestyle, which includes regular physical activity and healthy eating.
“It should therefore only be offered following assessment of the person taking the medication and as part of a programme to establish a healthy lifestyle.”
But Charity Beat raised concerns about the impact of the drug on people with eating disorders.
Tom Quinn, Beat’s director of external affairs, said: “Weight-loss medications like semaglutide can be extremely attractive to people with eating disorders as they appear to provide quick results.
“However, these medications can be very dangerous as they can worsen harmful thoughts and behaviours for those unwell, or contribute to an eating disorder developing for someone who is already vulnerable.”
