As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a doctor is warning patients who want to use the drug for weight loss that no drug is a “magic bullet.”
Denmark-based global health giant Novo Nordisk produces the weekly injection Wegovy and the popular diabetes and weight loss drug Ozempic.
The new drug is specifically targeted at people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight, said CTV medical expert Dr. Marla Shapiro.
“The popularization of Ozempic that Hollywood is using and giving it the impression that it’s a magic bullet has not really been a good thing,” Shapiro said in an interview with CTV News Channel on Friday.
“The problem here is that by using the medication (Wegovy) inappropriately, you can lose weight, but if you stop taking the medication, you are likely to gain it back. Remember that the medication only works with exercise and a low-calorie diet “
Shapiro said Wegovy is an off-label weight loss drug, meaning it is prescribed for a specific purpose. In this case, Wegovy is prescribed to obese adults, with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30. The medicine is also aimed at those who are significantly overweight, with a BMI of 27 and at least one weight. -related medical condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cholesterol problems, dyslipidemia (an imbalance of lipids such as cholesterol or triglycerides) or obstructive sleep apnea.
“We really want people to understand that obesity is a chronic disease and that’s what we’re dealing with,” Shapiro said. “We’re not looking to treat someone who comes in and wants to lose five pounds, 10 pounds, who doesn’t really meet those two strict criteria.”
Because Wegovy is an off-label drug for a chronic condition, it implies that it is intended for chronic use, he added.
“It should be monitored by your health care provider,” he explained. “And you really have to have the indications to stick with it, having failed all the other alternatives you’ve been given before you even think about going on long-term medication.”
The drug makes people feel fuller and reduces gastric emptying, or the process in the stomach that expels its contents, Shapiro said.
Who should not use Wegovy
Individuals who should not use Wegovy, according to Shapiro, include those with severe allergic reactions to the drug, those with kidney or pancreatic problems, those using diabetes medications, those who are or plan to become pregnant or breastfeeding, and those with a history of thyroid cancer, especially medullary thyroid cancer.
Like other medicines, he said Wegovy has side effects such as constipation and nausea, so it is suggested that the medicine be used at night.
Users may also experience inflammation of the pancreas, also known as pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, low blood sugar, kidney problems, increased heart rate, depression, suicidal thoughts, and severe allergic reactions such as hives.
“No medicine is benign,” he said. “It’s naive to say that any drug has no side effects.”
Many people are overweight not necessarily because of their lifestyle choices of not eating less and exercising more, but because they have obesity as a chronic disease, Shapiro explained. “This is a disease like other diseases and this is a tool to treat it.”
Experts estimated Wegovy would cost about $400 a month, though it’s unclear whether health insurance plans will cover it.
Novo Nordisk Canada declined to share Wegovy’s price with The Canadian Press. In a statement, he said “the price of drugs in Canada is influenced by multiple factors, including federal, provincial and territorial governments and insurance providers, and prices can vary from person to person.”
Health Canada only approved Ozempic to treat type 2 diabetes, but it has been prescribed off-label for weight loss.
The health agency later approved Wegovy in November 2021 amid a supply shortage of Ozempic. Wegovy carries a higher weekly dose of semaglutide of 2.4 milligrams, compared to one milligram in a single dose of Ozempic. Semaglutide, which mimics an insulin-promoting hormone, suppresses appetite and helps people feel fuller.
Clinical trials showed Wegovy was safe and effective for weight loss and had a positive impact on other weight-related conditions, such as cardiovascular health, Vancouver endocrinologist Dr. Ehud Ur said in The Canadian Press. Ur is not affiliated with Novo Nordisk.
With archives from The Canadian Press
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