How does the injection against obesity and diabetes work?

How does the injection against obesity and diabetes work?

Almost a quarter of a year after the market launch of a new weight loss aid for people with obesity, doctors are reporting some demand in Germany. However, it is not yet possible to quantify how many people are already using the preparation "Wegovy", according to inquiries from the German Press Agency.

Several sources report temporary supply bottlenecks or concerns about them. Some experts estimate several thousand syringes per week for the German market, but the manufacturer itself does not provide any information on request.

"As plastic surgeons, we fear that there are an incredible number of applications in a gray area market," said Sixtus Allert, plastic surgeon and Medical Director of the Sana Klinikum Hameln-Pyrmont, with regard to "Wegovy" and "Ozempic". The latter is a diabetes medication that is often mentioned in the same breath as obesity injections. Both preparations contain the active ingredient semaglutide, but in different doses.

According to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), semaglutide acts in the body in the same way as a natural hormone and appears to regulate appetite, among other things. According to the EMA, "Wegovy" should be used in combination with a change in diet and physical activity. The costs are not yet covered by health insurance companies. The manufacturer quoted the pharmacy retail price of a four-week ration for the highest dose (2.4 mg) at a good 300 euros before the market launch in mid-July.

Manufacturer distances itself from trivialization

Because diabetics sometimes find it difficult to obtain their medication due to the demand from people wanting to lose weight, some experts have been speaking out for months against the use of "Ozempic" outside the approved area of application (so-called off-label use). The website of the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk states that it expressly recommends prescription drugs only within the indication approved by the EMA. The company firmly distances itself from any form of advertising, social media posts and reports that encourage or trivialize improper use.

According to Allert, the products are sometimes advertised as an easy way to lose a few kilos without exercise or dieting, for example. "There is a lot going on via the internet and via colleagues who have few scruples and do things that are not medically justified," said the chairman of the Association of German Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (VDÄPC).

Warning about counterfeit pens

Authorities in Germany issued a warning about counterfeit "Ozempic" pens at the beginning of October. In Austria, the judiciary assumes that at least five people have allegedly received counterfeit diabetes medication from a doctor in Salzburg. Three of them had apparently developed health problems, a spokeswoman for the public prosecutor's office in Steyr told the German Press Agency. The public prosecutor's office is investigating the doctor and two leading representatives of two smaller companies who may have distributed counterfeit "Ozempic".

In view of the counterfeits, Allert urgently appealed for such drugs to only be obtained from a doctor and with a prescription from a pharmacy, even if this is more expensive than through other channels. According to an Abda spokeswoman, no counterfeits have yet been found in German pharmacies.

Doctor: interfering significantly with physical processes

Regarding the procedure at his clinic, Allert said that "Wegovy" is prescribed in selected cases when requested. "These are patients for whom it is medically justified." Patients would then also have to commit to making additional changes to their diet and taking more exercise. For colleagues in conventional plastic surgery, the doctor assumes that the preparations will be used with restraint - also out of respect: "After all, we are talking about a drug that optimizes the effect of insulin. We are already interfering considerably with the body's processes." In addition, any side effects of long-term use are still unclear.

GPs have reported an increase in demand, according to Til Uebel, spokesperson for the Diabetes Working Group of the German Society for General and Family Medicine (Degam). "Patients often report off-label therapies from other patients." Experience from his own diabetology practice has shown that people with diabetes in particular ask for the preparations when there is actually no indication for the active ingredient. In addition, younger people "who are not particularly overweight" are also interested.

Surgery for obesity may be less common in future

Susanne Reger-Tan, an expert from the German Society of Endocrinology, reports that people with obesity and, in some cases, diabetes are also interested. In particular, these are people who have tried to lose weight several times without success, who are very concerned about the long-term health risks of obesity or who are considering injections as an alternative to bariatric surgery, such as the insertion of a gastric band.

For patients with obesity, Allert sees the preparations as a possible alternative treatment and as very helpful for the time being, provided that the current findings on side effects are maintained. This could also lead to surgical interventions being required less frequently in future for some obesity sufferers. The known and frequent side effects of "Wegovy" include headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain.

1. The new weight loss aid "Wegovy," used for obesity, contains the active ingredient semaglutide, which is also found in diabetes medication like Ozempic.
2. According to experts, both Wegovy and Ozempic work by regulating appetite and should be used in combination with dietary changes and physical activity.
3. Some doctors are concerned about the rising demand for Wegovy and Ozempic, especially in the gray area market, as these medications can interfere significantly with physical processes.
4. The Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk clearly states that their prescription drugs, such as Ozempic, should only be used within the approved area of application by the EMA and distances itself from any forms of improper use.
5. The rising demand for Wegovy and Ozempic has led to concerns about counterfeit versions of these medications, which can pose serious health risks if not obtained from a reputable source.

Source: www.dpa.com