The Dutch healthcare institute has advised against including the slimming drug Wegovy in the basic insurance package due to unclear long-term health benefits and potential cost increases. The recommendation was made to health minister Fleur Agema.
Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company behind Wegovy, requested the drug’s inclusion in the insurance package last year. Wegovy contains semaglutide, an appetite suppressant. Although effective, it is uncertain which patients will gain the most benefit.
There is a global shortage of semaglutide, which also helps lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes patients and is marketed as Ozempic. The surge in demand for weight loss has led diabetes patients to seek alternative medications.
Concerns remain about the drug’s long-term effectiveness for obesity. While most people on Wegovy lose an average of 5% of their body weight, and 30% lose around 10%, little research exists on the effects of discontinuing the drug.
The healthcare institute fears widespread prescription of Wegovy could result in annual costs up to €1.3 billion. In the Netherlands, approximately 7 million people are overweight, with 14% classified as obese. Agency chairman Sjaak Wijma emphasized the need to evaluate whether providing this expensive medication to a large population for life is appropriate without fully understanding its best use.
Wijma stressed that tackling the obesity crisis should not fall solely on the healthcare system. He called for a political debate on societal measures to prevent and combat obesity, noting that necessary actions to improve public health are lacking.
Doctors can still prescribe Wegovy, but patients must cover the cost themselves. According to news website Nu.nl, a year’s supply of the drug costs €2,750.
