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From VOA Learning English, health and lifestyle report.
In 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the weight loss drug Wegoby. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now says the drug can reduce the risk of death from stroke or heart attack in adults with the following conditions: cardiovascular system Are you sick or overweight?
The FDA has approved a change in usage filed by drug company Novo Nordisk.With this change, semaglutide, generic or generic drug name. Wegovy is a brand name given by the sales company.
The FDA based its decision on research showing that Wegovy reduces the risk of serious heart disease. The study also found that overweight patients who did not have diabetes but had heart disease were 20 percent less likely to experience those problems. The researchers compared the results of patients who took the drug with those of patients who did not receive the drug. placeboor inactive injections.
Wegoby is the first drug approved to prevent a potentially life-threatening disease in overweight people, officials said.
Dr. John Sharetz directs FDA’s Division of Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, and Obesity. He said, “Provide treatment.” option This is good for public health because it has been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk.
Dr Martha Gulati said the decision would change the way many heart patients are treated. Gulati is a cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The study also confirms that a new class of obesity drugs can not only help you lose weight, but also improve your health.
“We hope that insurance companies will start to understand that this is not a problem.” vanity It’s drugs,” Gulati said. So-called vanity drugs are drugs that have no medical purpose. Some researchers call them “lifestyle” drugs. Gulati estimates that nearly 70% of her heart patients may: eligible For treatment.
Wegovy is of high quality.dose A version of the drug Ozempic. Ozempic is a diabetes drug. The FDA approved this drug to reduce the risk of serious heart disease in people with the disease. Weight loss drugs cost about $1,300 per month.
Novo Nordisk also called on European Union authorities to expand the use of the drug for heart conditions.
The FDA warned that Wegovy carries a risk of serious side effects.These include the thyroid tumor and certain cancers. Other possible side effects include hypoglycemia. Organs in the body such as the pancreas, gallbladder, kidneys, and eyes may be affected. Another possible side effect is suicidal behavior or thoughts.
of clinical trials, More than 17,600 people participated in the drug’s approval. About a third of them reported serious side effects. About 17 percent of the group receiving Wegovy and 8 percent of the group receiving a placebo discontinued the study due to reported side effects.
The new approval could mean Medicare could expand coverage of the drug. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people of retirement age. U.S. law prohibits Medicare from covering drugs intended solely for weight loss. According to recent estimates, nearly $3 billion was spent on Ozempic diabetes treatment in 2021.
Tricia Newman is a Medicare expert at KFF, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that researches health policy. She said the change “…will open the door for more people with Medicare to have access to Her Wegovy.”
A spokeswoman for America’s Health Insurance Plans, an industry group, said private health insurers will consider Wegobee’s new guidance.
Pharmaceutical companies and low-income activists obesity Interest rates are calling for an expansion of the scope of application. This includes legislation that would require Medicare to pay for obesity drugs. Drug costs need to be balanced by reducing spending on health care related to obesity and heart disease.
Another problem is the limited supply of drugs. According to the FDA, there has been a shortage for more than a year. Novo Nordisk officials said they are aiming to increase production.
For Gulati, the heart specialist, broader applications can’t come soon enough.
“Everyone is waiting to get this drug,” she said. “Reduce costs or not (not)” very deep And make sure the drug is available. ”
that is health and lifestyle report. I’m Anna Matteo.
Jonelle Alecia reported this story to The Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for her VOA Learning English.
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words of this story
cardiovascular system -adjective related to the circulatory system, including the heart
generic -adjective Class of products that are no longer sold under a brand name because their manufacture and sale are no longer restricted by government patent protection
placebo -yeah. amount of inert substance whose effect is compared to that of the drug being tested
option -yeah. choice from several options
vanity -yeah. A feeling of paying attention primarily to one’s own appearance, feelings, and comfort
dose -yeah. Amount needed for a drug to be effective
tumor -yeah. Abnormal growths that may be related to cancer
eligible -adjective able to administer or receive treatment
clinical trial -yeah. Medical tests performed on real patients
obesity -yeah. condition of severe overweight
very deep -adjective want more for oneself than is fair or right
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