Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk expressed disappointment on Wednesday following the Dutch Health Care Institute’s recommendation to the Netherlands government to exclude its widely popular weight-loss drug Wegovy from the country’s basic insurance coverage.
The Dutch Health Care Institute advised the healthcare minister on Tuesday, stating that while Wegovy is effective for weight loss, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether the health benefits justify the drug’s costs. The institute emphasized the need for further research to understand the actual health impacts of the medication.
“While we are pleased that the Dutch Health Care Institute acknowledges the essential role of medications in combating obesity as a chronic disease, we are obviously disappointed in their initial decision,” a Novo Nordisk spokesperson said in an email.
With approximately 4 million potential beneficiaries in the Netherlands, the institute projected that covering Wegovy could cost the government around 1.3 billion euros ($1.42 billion). Currently, Wegovy is not available for sale in the Netherlands, according to Novo Nordisk.
Last year, Novo Nordisk applied to Dutch authorities for the drug to be covered by insurance for a select group of patients.
The institute also raised concerns about the global shortage of semaglutide, the main ingredient in Wegovy, which is crucial for diabetes treatment.
“These shortages highlight the importance of critically assessing which patients would benefit the most from a medication,” the institute stated.
