For the first time in the UK, a weight-loss jab could be used to prevent heart attacks and strokes in overweight people.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the use of Wegovy, which contains the drug semaglutide, as a preventive treatment for those with ‘established cardiovascular diseases’.
Shirley Hopper, MHRA’s deputy director of innovative medicines, said: ‘We’re assured that the appropriate regulatory standards of safety, quality and effectiveness for the approval of this medicine have been met. This treatment option that prevents heart disease and strokes is an important step forward in tackling the serious health consequences of obesity. As with all medicines, we will keep its safety under close review.’
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The drug makes people feel fuller and less hungry. It is prescribed for weight management alongside diet, physical activity and behavioural support to address obesity.
An NHS trial found that the drug – taken as an injection once a week for up to five years – could lower a person’s risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. The trial included 17,600 people who were either prescribed Wegovy or a dummy drug, also known as a placebo. Researchers found that Wegovy significantly reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 20%.
Healthcare leaders have welcomed the announcement but advised caution when using the weight-loss jabs for treatment.
Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, said that people using the drug to lose weight and improve their health should be given adequate support.
He said: ‘This means appropriate training and healthcare workforce development, along with policies to create a wider environment that supports everyone to stay as healthy as possible. Altogether, this can help save lives from the devastating impact of heart attacks and strokes.’
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England, said: ‘Weight-loss drugs can be a key part of our arsenal to help tackle obesity and manage associated risks but, as global supply issues continue to affect these drugs, it is important that treatments are used correctly, in line with licensing, to ensure that patients with type 2 diabetes can receive the medicines they need.’