People with heart and circulatory disease who are overweight will be able to receive the drug in England from this summer, following approval by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) today, with the NHS striking a deal that makes the treatment cost-effective for use on the health service.
Draft NICE guidance published today for semaglutide – also known as Wegovy and used for weight management – recommends the drug be available as a treatment option for people who have previously had a heart attack, stroke, or a serious circulation problem in the legs (known as peripheral arterial disease), and who are overweight or obese with a BMI of 27 or higher.
The drug is delivered as a weekly injection and will be prescribed alongside a healthy diet and increased physical activity.
It can also be used alongside other commonly used drugs, such as statins or anti-hypertensives, to further improve health outcomes of patients with cardiovascular disease.
Semaglutide is already available on the NHS in England as treatment option for people with obesity, when offered through specialist weight management services in line with NICE guidance, and Ozempic (another brand name for semaglutide) is widely prescribed by the NHS as a treatment for people with type 2 diabetes.
Clinical trial data has shown that semaglutide reduced the risk of serious heart problems such as heart attacks and strokes by 20% in people with heart and circulatory disease who are overweight, compared to placebo.
Cardiovascular disease can be prevented in around 7 in 10 cases. Semaglutide is the latest innovative treatment being offered by the NHS as part of the 10-Year Health Plan to help people live well with long-term conditions, avoid serious complications, and reduce the risk of hospital visits or preventable death.
Faster use of blood-thinning medicines on the NHS have already helped more than 500,000 people, preventing thousands of strokes and deaths. Blood pressure – and cholesterol-lowering medicines, are also helping millions manage their heart health.
Helen Williams, National Clinical Director for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at NHS England, said: “For more than a million people at high risk of heart attack and stroke, this treatment on the NHS could be life-changing – offering a powerful new way to protect their hearts and improve their health.
“We know that people who have already had a heart attack or stroke face a much higher risk of having another. Used alongside a healthy diet and regular exercise, semaglutide could help prevent thousands of future major cardiovascular events and give many people the chance at a longer and healthier life.”
