The High Authority for Health (HAS) confirms its favorable opinion concerning the drug fighting obesity, Wegovy.
- HAS maintained a favorable opinion on Wegovy.
- This paves the way for reimbursement of the drug. However, conditions must be met to benefit from it: be an adult, have a BMI equal to or greater than 35 and have followed a diet that has not resulted in weight loss.
- If the HAS’s opinion is followed by the ministers responsible for Health and Social Security, it could be reimbursed up to 65%.
Wegovy, a drug which has gained popularity due to its rapid weight loss properties, may be reimbursed in France. The High Authority for Health (HAS) has maintained its favorable opinion on this anti-obesity treatment after analyzing the latest data collected by the scientific world. However, it sets conditions. Reimbursement will only be available for patients with severe obesity, or those with a BMI greater than or equal to 35.
Wegovy: HAS confirms its favorable opinion on the reimbursement of anti-obesity medication
After a first favorable opinion delivered in 2022, the HAS reviewed the data collected on Wegovy in recent years. In their second decision rendered on December 4, 2024, the experts confirmed that the anti-obesity drug has beneficial effects for patients, noting among other things a reduction in cardiovascular risks. They also lifted the restriction issued for patients over 65 two years earlier.
This new validation paves the way for reimbursement of the treatment whose active substance is semaglutide, a GLP-1 analogue (aGLP-1) which promotes insulin secretion and the appearance of the feeling of satiety.
However, treatment coverage is subject to certain conditions. The patient must be an adult suffering from severe obesity (BMI > 35 kg/m2) who has not been able to lose weight after changing their eating habits. The prescription for reimbursed Wegovy must also be accompanied by a low-calorie diet and an increase in physical activity.
According to HAS, between 1 and 2.1 million patients in France could benefit from Wegovy.
Wegovy: a 65% refund?
Wegovy consists of an injection to be given once a week where the dosage is progressive. Studies show that this treatment offers an average weight loss of 17%. However, the medicine may cause “mild to moderate and transient gastrointestinal adverse reactions” such as nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea. It should therefore not be taken without medical advice.
Faced with all of this data, HAS recognized that Wegovy provided a medical service “important”. This should allow a reimbursement of up to 65%, according to AFP.
The decision to include semaglutide-based treatment on the list of reimbursed medications will be taken by the ministers responsible for Health and Social Security. It must also be published in the Official Journal to be effective.
