 has said it should be offerend to those with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35kg/m2 - the upper end of the obese range - and at least one linked health problem. People with a lower BMI above 30kg/m2 who qualify for specialist care may also be eligible. The drug was made available to NHS patients on September 4 and will be prescribed alongside a reduced calorie diet and exercise. The drug is also known as Ozempic when used at a lower dose for type 2 diabetes. It suppresses appetite by mimicking a hormone released after eating. Want to get the latest health news direct to your inbox? Sign up for the Mirror Health newsletter HERE Dr Stephen Lawrence, of Warwick University, said this new generation of jabs offer a 'fantastic opportunity' to ease pressure on the NHS from weight-related conditions. Helping people shed pounds will cut their risk of a raft of serious health conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and cancer. Leading testing expert Dr Avinash Hari Narayanan (MBChB), from London Medical Laboratory, has warned that the limits placed on Wegovy's prescription in the UK mean it is only a short-term solution, and not the "magic bullet" to solve Britain's obesity epidemic. He said: 'It's very concerning that nearly 1-in-3 adults are obese in the UK, the hig){kind=link}
Around 50,000 NHS patients in England could be eligible for weight-loss jab Wegovy – known as semaglutide – but experts have said it may be a temporary solution for a chronic problem
Weight-loss drug Wegovy is now available to NHS patients, with research suggesting the new jab can help people shed over 10 percent of their body weight and may reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
The weekly injection, also known as semaglutide, is only available through specialist weight management services to people needing medical help to lose weight.
According to the NHS, 50,000 patients in England could be eligible for Wegovy, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has said it should be offerend to those with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35kg/m2 – the upper end of the obese range – and at least one linked health problem.
People with a lower BMI above 30kg/m2 who qualify for specialist care may also be eligible. The drug was made available to NHS patients on September 4 and will be prescribed alongside a reduced calorie diet and exercise.