Wigoby, a popular weight loss drug known for helping Americans lose weight, is used to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other serious cardiovascular problems in overweight or obese patients. It was just approved by federal regulators on Friday.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved label changes requested by drugmaker Novo Nordisk to expand the use of semaglutide.

The agency made this decision based on research published in November showing that Wegovy reduces the risk of serious heart disease, including heart attacks, strokes, and heart-related deaths.

The agency said Wigovy is the first drug approved to prevent potentially life-threatening events in this population.

“Providing treatment options proven to reduce this cardiovascular risk is a major advance for public health,” said Dr. John Sharetz, chief of the FDA’s Division of Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, and Obesity. Ta.

How Wegovy can change care for heart patients

The FDA’s support of this drug confirms that a new class of obesity drugs can help you not only lose weight but improve your health.

“The hope is that insurance companies will start to understand that this is not a vanity drug,” said Dr. Martha Gulati, a cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, who treats almost 70% of her heart patients. It is estimated that these patients may be candidates for treatment. process.

Ozempic, a lower-dose version of Wegovy that was previously approved to reduce the risk of severe heart disease in people with the disease, typically costs about $1,300.

But a spokesperson for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), an industry group, said private insurers will evaluate new federal approval for Wegobee before deciding on coverage. Ta.

Pharmaceutical companies and obesity advocacy groups are pushing for expanded coverage, including legislation that would require Medicare to pay for these new obesity drugs.

The question is whether the high drug costs will be offset by savings from lower medical costs associated with obesity and now heart disease.

Wegovy side effects

More serious side effects include thyroid tumors and certain cancers, according to the FDA. Low blood sugar, pancreatic, gallbladder, kidney, or eye problems were also reported in patients who took this drug.

About one-third of patients in clinical trials reported serious side effects.

About 17% of the Wegovy group and 8% of the placebo group discontinued the study due to these effects.