It’s not often that a cure becomes a hype, but after Kim Kardashian proudly declared on TikTok that she had lost 7 kilos in 3 weeks, the fence was off.
Ozempic® has been on the market since 2017. The medicine lowers blood sugar and suppresses appetite at the same time. The medicine, which is presented as a solution for injection in a pre-filled pen, is in principle only prescribed and reimbursed to adults with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes. Although the medicine is not licensed for the treatment of overweight and obesity, the abundant social media attention to a peak in it off label-use.
The rush for the ‘waste syringe’ even led to temporary stock problems, also in Belgium. In a letter to doctors and pharmacists, the Medicines Agency (FAMHP) asked for priority to be given to the treatment of ‘diabetes’ and the off labeluse (particularly in people with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 35).
A panacea?
Although Ozempic®, in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle, can help you lose weight, it is certainly not a panacea for obesity. It can potentially cause serious side effects, such as dizziness, tiredness, gastrointestinal problems (nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, etc.), pancreatitis and hypoglycaemia. In addition, the long-term safety profile is still largely unknown because it is a relatively new drug. That is why there is a small black triangle on the package leaflet to indicate that Ozempic® is under extra supervision in Europe.
Since the drug is not licensed for the treatment of obesity and obesity, it cannot be reimbursed to people who use it for these reasons. And Ozempic® is an expensive drug…
Other options on the horizon
At the end of 2021, Ozempic producer Novo Nordisk launched a second drug on the US market, specifically intended for weight loss: Wegovy®.
This’ contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic®, but in a higher dose and has been specifically studied for the treatment of obesity. Like its ‘big brother’, it should be used as an adjunct to diet and exercise in obese adults:
a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher (obesity) or a BMI between 27 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2 (overweight) and weight-related health problems (such as diabetes or high blood pressure, for example).
It should be used in conjunction with healthy eating and lifestyle habits
Apart from Denmark and Norway, Wegovy® is not (yet) distributed in Europe, although the European Medicines Agency has granted marketing authorization for the whole of the EU. No exact date has yet been announced, but the drug should soon be available in Belgium. At the moment no one knows what the refund terms will be.
Promises… to confirm
Novo Nordisk recently published a study showing that Wegovy® would reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by 20%. However, some experts believe that these effects are due to weight loss rather than the injections themselves. They also point to the drug’s side effects, which are similar to those of Ozempic®, and the unknown about its long-term safety. In addition, patients would gain weight again after stopping treatment.
Another anti-diabetic and slimming drug will soon be launched on the Belgian market: according to its manufacturer, Eli Lilly, tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) even gives much better results than Ozempic®, with a weight loss of up to 25%. In the United States, it’s already a lot of hype… which often ignores the potentially serious side effects. One thing is already certain: while Wegovy® and Mounjaro® will undoubtedly offer new therapeutic options, they will certainly not be a panacea.
It’s not often that a cure becomes a hype, but after Kim Kardashian proudly declared on TikTok that she had lost 7 kilos in 3 weeks, the fence was off.
Ozempic® has been on the market since 2017. The medicine lowers blood sugar and suppresses appetite at the same time. The medicine, which is presented as a solution for injection in a pre-filled pen, is in principle only prescribed and reimbursed to adults with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes. Although the medicine is not licensed for the treatment of overweight and obesity, the abundant social media attention to a peak in it off label-use.
The rush for the ‘waste syringe’ even led to temporary stock problems, also in Belgium. In a letter to doctors and pharmacists, the Medicines Agency (FAMHP) asked for priority to be given to the treatment of ‘diabetes’ and the off labeluse (particularly in people with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 35).
A panacea?
Although Ozempic®, in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle, can help you lose weight, it is certainly not a panacea for obesity. It can potentially cause serious side effects, such as dizziness, tiredness, gastrointestinal problems (nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, etc.), pancreatitis and hypoglycaemia. In addition, the long-term safety profile is still largely unknown because it is a relatively new drug. That is why there is a small black triangle on the package leaflet to indicate that Ozempic® is under extra supervision in Europe.
Since the drug is not licensed for the treatment of obesity and obesity, it cannot be reimbursed to people who use it for these reasons. And Ozempic® is an expensive drug…
Other options on the horizon
At the end of 2021, Ozempic producer Novo Nordisk launched a second drug on the US market, specifically intended for weight loss: Wegovy®.
This’ contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic®, but in a higher dose and has been specifically studied for the treatment of obesity. Like its ‘big brother’, it should be used as an adjunct to diet and exercise in obese adults:
a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher (obesity) or a BMI between 27 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2 (overweight) and weight-related health problems (such as diabetes or high blood pressure, for example).
It should be used in conjunction with healthy eating and lifestyle habits
Apart from Denmark and Norway, Wegovy® is not (yet) distributed in Europe, although the European Medicines Agency has granted marketing authorization for the whole of the EU. No exact date has yet been announced, but the drug should soon be available in Belgium. At the moment no one knows what the refund terms will be.
Promises… to confirm
Novo Nordisk recently published a study showing that Wegovy® would reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by 20%. However, some experts believe that these effects are due to weight loss rather than the injections themselves. They also point to the side effects of the drug, which are similar to those of Ozempic®, and the unknown about its long-term safety. In addition, patients would gain weight again after stopping treatment.
Another anti-diabetic and slimming drug will soon be launched on the Belgian market: according to its manufacturer, Eli Lilly, tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) even gives much better results than Ozempic®, with a weight loss of up to 25%. In the United States, it’s already a lot of hype… which often ignores the potentially serious side effects. One thing is already certain: while Wegovy® and Mounjaro® will undoubtedly offer new therapeutic options, they will certainly not be a panacea.
2023-09-06 16:22:12
#Miracle #drugs #lose #weight
