The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced last week that it would offer coverage for the popular weight-loss drug Wegoby to patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

NBC News and other news outlets announced Thursday that the agency will cover Wegoby in Medicare Part D plans when it is prescribed to prevent heart attacks, strokes and other serious cardiovascular diseases. It was reported. Medications to reduce the risk of heart disease would also be required to be covered by Medicaid.

Medicare was previously prohibited from paying for weight loss drugs, but the change will allow it to be prescribed to older adults who are overweight and have a history of heart disease, NBC News reported. However, the agency indicated that it does not intend to apply Wegovy solely to weight management.

Medicare’s announcement comes after the Food and Drug Administration announced it had approved the use of Wigovy (semaglutide) injection to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in obese or overweight adults with a history of cardiovascular disease. It took place just two weeks later.

“Wegovy is the first weight loss drug approved for use in the prevention of life-threatening cardiovascular events in obese or overweight adults with cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. said John Sharetz, MD. A March 8 news release on obesity research at the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical company that makes Wigovy, issued a news release in response to the FDA’s decision, stating that Wigovy lowered the risk of serious adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) compared to a placebo in the drug’s cardiovascular clinical trial. It was announced that it was found to reduce the amount by 20%. Martin Horst Lange, executive vice president and head of development at Novo Nordisk, said in a release that the FDA’s increased approval of the drug is “an important milestone for people living with obesity and cardiovascular disease.” He said that there is.

The FDA noted that Wegovy’s prescribing information includes a boxed warning to inform healthcare professionals and patients about possible side effects, including the potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumors and allergic reactions.