Weight-loss pill 'Wegovy' on sale in German pharmacies from 1 September

The weight-loss drug Wegovy is now sold in German pharmacies. Semaglutide helps you feel full. It is approved for adults and costs 170-280 euros. From 1 September, the weight-loss pill "Wegovy" from Danish manufacturer Novo Nordisk is available in German pharmacies. Following EU approval in July, Germany is the first country where Wegovy is being sold. Novo Nordisk described the authorisation as a "milestone". The prescription-only medicine is intended as an alternative to the weight-loss injection already on the market and uses the same active ingredient: semaglutide. The substance mimics a gut hormone that is responsible for the feeling of fullness. According to a spokeswoman for the manufacturer, the retail price in pharmacies for the weight-loss pill is expected to be between 170 and 280 euros. While the injection version of Wegovy is already approved for children aged 12 and over, the tablet form is only authorised for adults. When taking semaglutide tablets, adults with excess weight reduced their body weight by an average of around 13.6%, according to the OASIS-4 study (source in German), which largely formed the basis for EU approval. The study was carried out by an international team of researchers. In the trial, 205 participants received the medicine, and 102 were given a placebo. For the injection, the figure was higher, at 19%. However, the treatment period in the study was 72 weeks, two months longer than for the tablet (64 weeks). As with the injection, the oral version can cause side effects. Many patients who use the medicine experience gastrointestinal complaints, including nausea and diarrhoea. It can also lead to inflammation of the pancreas. Unlike the injection, the tablet has to be taken daily. The injection only needs to be administered once a week. For both products, however, success depends not just on regular use but also on diet and exercise, said Julia Szendrödi, president of the German Diabetes Society. 100-billion-dollar market "Whether injection or tablet, medicines against obesity are not miracle cures for optimising weight but building blocks in therapy for a chronic disease," said Szendrödi. She stressed that the use of products such as Wegovy is always part of an overall treatment concept. The medicines cannot replace prevention, Szendrödi added. There is a need for better nutrition labelling, quality standards for school meals and restrictions on advertising unhealthy foods to children. Internationally, the market for weight-loss medicines is fiercely contested. According to analysts, it is expected to be channelling 100 billion dollars a year into the coffers of pharmaceutical companies by 2030, the business daily Handelsblatt reports. Several products are already on the market. In the United Kingdom, for example, the pill "Foundayo" from US manufacturer Eli Lilly will be available from the end of August. Weight-loss medicines are intended for people with obesity whose body mass index (BMI) is above 30. For conditions such as type 2 diabetes or sleep apnoea that are linked to increased weight, they can also be used in people with a BMI below 30. A note from Euronews: watch the latest Euronews exclusive report: