A diabetes drug controversially used by Hollywood stars to help them lose weight quickly is to hit the market in the UK as a weight loss route, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Semaglutide is currently only approved in the UK under the brand name Ozempic for the treatment of weight-related diseases such as diabetes. But the side benefit of helping users shed pounds quickly means there’s a huge “off-label” market for specialists to offer it to anyone they think could benefit.
This created shortages for the needy.
A weight loss drug, semaglutide, will be launched in the UK in the spring, MoS understands, and will be sold by Boots. The drug’s maker, Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, said it would launch the weight-loss drug Wegovy “as soon as possible”.
Semaglutide is currently only approved in the UK under the brand name Ozempic for the treatment of weight-related diseases such as diabetes
The price of the ‘Skinny Jab’ is a secret until it goes on sale, but current Ozempic users have told the MoS they pay around £180 for a month’s supply. Users inject the drug once a week with medical pens. It acts like a chemical gastric band to suppress appetite, with supporters claiming to have lost an average of 16 percent of their body weight in a year.
Ozempic was dubbed “Hollywood’s worst-kept secret” after a Variety magazine study suggested it was used by A-listers to loosen up before events.
Twitter owner Elon Musk said he used Wegovy to stay in shape and Kim Kardashian reportedly used semaglutide to shed 16 pounds to fit into a dress once worn by Marilyn Monroe.
Lose weight (file photo). A semaglutide drug approved for weight loss will be launched in the UK in the spring, the MoS said, and will be sold by Boots
Dr. David Eccleston, a private practitioner in Birmingham who specializes in fat loss, said he had received more than 100 requests from patients wanting to use Ozempic for weight loss, but had turned them all down. He said: “No medical profession in the UK should be actively promoting Ozempic as a treatment for obesity as it is off-label.”
Novo Nordisk also says it does not support “off-label” prescribing, adding: “Patient safety is a priority for us. All prescriptions of our products must comply with the approved Summary of Product Characteristics and therapeutic indication.”
A Boots spokesperson said: “Wegovy is a prescription weight loss medicine that can help regulate appetite and reduce food cravings.
“It can be an effective medication for achieving sustained weight loss when used in conjunction with a calorie-restricted diet, increased exercise and a healthy lifestyle.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
