• Wegovy, semaglutide 2.4mg is a prescription medication used for treatment of obesity.

• Wegovy is currently indicated for patients with a BMI over 30 kg/m² or a BMI over 27 kg/m² with at least one weight-related medical condition.

• This medication is also prescribed for patients with a BMI over 27 kg/m² who have experienced heart attacks and strokes, to lower their risk of future cardiovascular events.

Wegovy and Ozempic are different brands for the same product, Semaglutide.

• Ozempic is Semaglutide 1.0mg licensed for type 2 diabetes.

• Wegovy is Semaglutide 2.4mg licensed for obesity.

• Semaglutide, known by the brand name Wegovy, is part of the GLP-1 receptor agonist family of medications.

• GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone that is made in your gut after you eat. One of its intended effects is to activate the ‘fullness signal’ in your brain. It is one of the natural signals that control your appetite.

• When you take semaglutide, it helps to turn up these signals and helps you to feel more full, and feel less hungry. It also slows down your stomach emptying, making you feel fuller for longer.

• In clinical trials, semaglutide 2.4mg showed greater efficacy with average weight loss of 14.9% from initial weight over 68 weeks.

• About a third of patients lost more than 20% of their initial weight.

• These results outperform the results of current available medications in New Zealand.

• The most common side effects are gastrointestinal side effects - nausea, change in bowel habit, and dehydration. With careful monitoring, these side effects can be managed in most cases.

• Rarer side effects can include renal impairment, especially with inadequate patient follow-up.

• Acute pancreatitis has been observed with the group of GLP-1 receptor agonist medications like semaglutide. However the incidence of acute pancreatitis with treatment is quite rare with 0.2 events per 100 person-years in the STEP1 trial.

• For patients with Type 2 Diabetes on insulin/sulfonylurea medications, careful monitoring of blood sugar levels is required to avoid the risk of hypoglycaemia (low sugar levels). However, Wegovy itself is not associated with low blood sugar levels.

• Semaglutide is associated with gallstones, though any significant weight loss, even from dietary changes alone, increases the risk of gallstone-related events.

• When taking semaglutide, you must let your anaesthetist or endoscopist know if you are using this medication, as it may affect fasting status and risk of aspiration during the procedure.

• Semaglutide should also be avoided in pregnancy and breast-feeding mothers.

• Allergic reactions can happen at the injection site. Generalised allergic reactions may also rarely happen.

• Although the association is not proven in human studies, patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 must avoid Wegovy.

• The full datasheet can be viewed on https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/Profs/Datasheet/w/wegovyinjection.pdf

• Wegovy is administered by a once weekly subcutaneous injection underneath the skin.

• It is typically injected around the abdominal area.