Despite Wegovy weight loss pills going on sale on UK shelves from Monday, the medication remains unavailable on the NHS amid high demand and a delayed appraisal process. The NHS has issued a warning to patients in England about the delay, as the popular pills are not yet accessible through the free health service.
NICE Appraisal Still Pending
The weight loss pill still needs to go through another stage of assessment before it can be made available on the NHS. A spokesperson for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) told Birmingham Live: “NICE can only recommend a medicine for NHS use if a company submits it for appraisal. Novo Nordisk has not made an evidence submission to NICE, so we are unable to make a recommendation on its use on the NHS at this time. We are in active dialogue with Novo Nordisk.”
Warning Over Counterfeit Pills
Authorities have also warned the public about the dangers of fake pills sold online. Megan Rannard, an intellectual property law expert at Marks & Clerk, said: “There are a large number of websites that falsely claim to be legitimate online pharmacies and that advertise medication to the public without a consultation or a prescription, and at very low prices. There is a risk that these types of websites will sell consumers counterfeit pharmaceuticals which present a clear public health risk, or that these websites are simply a front for other types of fraud or phishing scams.”
Proper Usage Emphasised
Abdal Alvi, chief clinical officer at Simple Online Pharmacy, commented: “The Wegovy pill is a major development because it gives patients another way to access semaglutide without self-injecting. But it is not a tablet you can simply take with breakfast or your morning coffee. The way it is taken has a direct impact on how well the medication is absorbed, so patients need to understand the routine from day one.”
Cost of Wegovy Jabs
Online pharmacies are currently selling Wegovy jabs for between £79 and £250 for a month’s supply, depending on the dose. The delay in NHS availability leaves many patients turning to private providers while awaiting a NICE recommendation.
