The UK has just green-lit a rather controversial weight loss jab to be made available from a major British high-street giant in a few months.
The drug, which is manufactured by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, has been rebranded into two categories: one for diabetes issues called ‘Ozempic’ and another for cosmetic weight loss concerns called ‘Wegovy’.
The practice is common in Hollywood wherein semaglutide, first released back in 2017, was intended to treat weight related issues such as type 2 diabetes.
However, it was noted by users that the drug also helped them shed off a few extra pounds as their health issues were being addressed. In 2021, semaglitude was officially approved as a weight loss treatment leading to ‘off-label prescribing’.
The company, operating under the name Ozempic, now promotes the drug as addressing multiple health concerns. These include lowering blood sugar, lowering the risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke and ‘may help’ lose some weight.
Wegovy’s selling point is differing from Ozempic, which is promising to help patients lose weight and ‘keep it off’. The two company’s jabs slightly vary on dosage levels.
The jab is packing a 2.4mg dose of semaglitude whereas the diabetes treatments pack just 1mg or lower. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence explains: “Semaglutide binds to, and activates, the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor to increase insulin secretion, suppress glucagon secretion, and slow gastric emptying.”
This means it works by suppressing a hunger’s appetite by promoting insulin production. Applied once weekly, it lowers patients’ blood sugar levels.
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