What’s happening?
The NHS in England is preparing to offer Wegovy (semaglutide) to around 1.2 million people who are living with both excess weight and a history of serious heart problems.
This group includes those who have previously had a heart attack, stroke or other circulation issues, like arterial disease.
This change has been kicked off after NICE (the body that approves medicines for use in the NHS and health providers) recommended the treatment for adults with a BMI of 27 or above in this higher risk group.
Why the change?
The key thing here is why it is being offered.
In clinical trials semaglutide reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by around 20 percent when used with standard treatments like statins. And, get this, the benefits appeared even before significant weight loss, which suggests there is a direct effect on heart health.
When?
The NHS expects to start the rollout this summer. As we’d expect Wegovy will be prescribed alongside lifestyle support including healthier eating and increased physical activity, rather than as a standalone solution. This is inline with the much smaller rollout of Mounjaro announced last year.
Our view
More and more studies are showing broader benefits of GLP-1 treatments beyond weight loss so this move isn’t a huge surprise to the SlimrChat community. We totally support the safe rollout to more of the people who need access.
Learn more: NHS & NICE announcements.
