WHO issues warning on weight loss drug Wegovy
New weight loss drugs such as Wegovy will not be a “silver bullet” in tackling obesity, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
Francesco Branca, WHO director of food and nutrition safety, said weight loss drugs must be used alongside a healthy diet and exercise.
Ms Branca’s comments come as the health body conducts its first review of obesity management guidelines in two decades.
Semaglutide, marketed as Wegovy by drugmaker Novo Nordisk, is an appetite suppressant drug that has been approved by the UK medicines regulator and described by some as a “game changer” in helping people to shed weight.
People will only be given Wegovy on prescription as part of a specialist weight management service involving input from several professionals and for a maximum of two years.
Some experts described the decision as a “pivotal moment” for the treatment of people living with obesity but others warned that the drug is not a “quick fix”.
Source: The Independent, 12 May 2023