Weight-loss medicine Wegovy, sometimes called a "little brother" to the diabetes drug Ozempic, will be in pharmacies in Belgium from 1 July. For the time being, it will not be reimbursed by insurance.
Wegovy is specifically aimed at people with obesity, unlike Ozempic. The latter was mainly aimed at people with Type 2 diabetes, but was used so much by people trying to lose weight that Belgium imposed restrictions on its sale to avoid further shortages,
"It is useful that Wegovy is on the Belgian market," professor and endocrinologist Bart Van der Schueren (UZ Leuven) told De Tijd. "People with cardiovascular diseases and functional problems resulting from obesity, such as arthritis, will really be helped by it."
At the same time, it can reduce the pressure on the use of Ozempic, which is in short supply. At least until the end of this year, doctors are only allowed to prescribe the drug (and similar ones) to patients who really need it, according to strict conditions.
If patients abandon Ozempic for Wegovy, the shortages may decrease. Another similar drug, Mounjaro, has also been available in Belgium – by prescription only – since November 2024.
How does Wegovy work?
Wegovy was developed by the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. It was developed to treat people who are obese (Body Mass Index equal to or greater than 30) or overweight (BMI between 27 and 30) who have at least one other condition (hypertension, sleep apnoea, diabetes, abnormal blood lipid levels).
It is proposed as a way to lose weight and maintain this loss in the long term. In 2022, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the drug.
The active ingredient in Wegovy is semaglutide. Once injected, it acts in the body in the same way as the gut hormone GLP-1 (also called glucagon-like peptide-1). GLP-1 stimulates the production of insulin, which affects blood sugar levels and makes you feel full faster and longer, reducing hunger. It also has other effects on the body, including slowing down gastric emptying.
This is exactly the same as how Ozempic (also developed by Novo Nordisk) works. However, there is one notable difference: Wegovy is classified as a weight loss drug, while Ozempic was developed to treat patients with type 2 diabetes. Officially, the latter is not authorised for the treatment of obesity and overweight, although some doctors unofficially prescribe it to certain patients.
Diabetes drug Ozempic. Credit: Belga / Dirk Waem
Another difference between the two is the recommended dosage. With Ozempic, the dose should be gradually increased to 1 mg of semaglutide per week, while with Wegovy it should be increased to 2.4 mg per week.
The possible side effects for the two drugs are also the same: nausea, headaches, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and abdominal (belly) pain, according to the EMA.
Importantly, treatment should not be limited to Wegov injections. The drug is part of a broader framework that includes a modified diet, increased exercise and a healthier lifestyle.
What does Wegovy cost?
Prices for the drug – which is administered as a weekly injection – range from €144.80 for the lowest dose to €211.60 for the second-highest dose. The price of the highest dose is not yet known, De Tijd reports.
Patients pay for these treatments in full, as the medicine is not being reimbursed for the time being. However, the health authorities are reportedly looking into getting the drug reimbursed.
