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Weight loss drug Wegovy now available in Canada
(HTM) Source
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Canadians struggling with obesity have another option at the pharmacy.
Wegovy, from the company behind Ozempic, is now available across
Canada.
In Brantford, Ont., pharmacist Ramez Girgis has been helping customer
Yvette with her weight loss journey.
"I was on Ozempic," she explained to CTV News. "However, it was
recommended that I go over to Wegovy because it's covered by my health
insurance."
She came into Guardian Discount Pharmacy on Wednesday to pick a
different prescription when Girgis let her know the drug was now in
stock.
"This is terrific for me, to assist in getting my health back," Yvette
explained.
She's not alone.
"We, at Guardian, started two patients on Wegovy already. Their
insurance covered it," Girgis said.
There's been so much interest in the drug that he's been fielding
calls from curious customers before it was even available in Canada.
Wegovy is an injectable drug that people take on a weekly basis. It
contains the same medication as Ozempic - semaglutide.
"It works by sending a message to your brain, to let the brain know:
'I am full, I don't need any more food,'" explained Girgis.
But there are differences between the two drugs. Wegovy, unlike
Ozempic, was specifically created to help people who meet a certain
criteria related to their weight.
"The patient's body mass index has to be 27, with a co-morbid chronic
medical condition - diabetes, hypertension, whatnot," Girgis said.
"The other thing is, if the patient's body mass index is 30 and above,
they are good candidates for Wegovy."
Not just anyone can take the drug, however.
It must be prescribed by a licensed healthcare professional, like a
doctor or nurse practitioner.
Girgis also explained that people with a history of thyroid cancer,
pancreatic or kidney problems, or have serious allergies to
semaglutide, wouldn't be good candidates for Wegovy. He said the drug
has 2.4 milligrams of semaglutide in the weekly injectable, compared
to the 1.0 milligrams in a single Ozempic dose.
**READ MORE: How Wegovy works and reported side effects**
Wegovy is expected to cost patients about $400 a month and it's not
clear if medical insurance plans will cover it.
Girgis said he's encouraged by what he's seen so far.
"I would say it's too early to see all the insurance companies jumping
in to cover that for weight loss. But as of yet, I've seen actually
two insurances that are already covering patients for Wegovy."
Girgis also hopes on-label use of Wegovy will cut down on shortages
associated with off-label use of Ozempic.
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