Wegovy, which contains the now well‑known substance semaglutide, is used to help people with obesity lose weight. Novo Nordisk, the company behind the drug, had applied for it to be reimbursed – at least for a limited group of patients with severe obesity, meaning individuals with very high BMI and multiple related health conditions.
The agency argues that there is a significant risk that the medication would be used by far more people than the intended, restricted patient group, which would result in very high costs for society. A total of around 1.6 million Swedes live with obesity, and Wegovy is already prescribed for large sums – approximately SEK 675 million last year, entirely outside the high‑cost protection system.
The agency also pointed out that there is no functioning system to ensure that the drug would be provided only to the appropriate patients.
Novo Nordisk is disappointed and considers the decision a departure from value‑based pricing, and believes that the medication should be made available to a defined group of patients with the greatest need.
For patients, the decision means that nothing changes – those who use Wegovy for weight loss must continue to pay the full cost themselves.
A disappointment for knee osteoarthritis patients with obesity
The results of a large international study were published in autumn 2024, investigating how once‑weekly injections of semaglutide affect people who have both obesity and knee osteoarthritis.
Over 68 weeks, semaglutide was compared with placebo in 407 participants.
The results were clear: participants receiving semaglutide not only lost more weight, but also experienced a greater reduction in knee pain and improved physical function compared with the placebo group.
The study therefore shows that semaglutide does not only support weight loss – it may also relieve osteoarthritis pain and improve quality of life for people with knee osteoarthritis.
