Weight loss drugs to be offered to more than one million NHS patients to prevent heart attacks and strokes

England's regulator NICE has recommended semaglutide (sold as Wegovy) for overweight or obese patients with certain heart and circulation conditions, opening NHS eligibility to about 1.2 million people based on trial evidence that the drug reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death.

NICE has recommended semaglutide, marketed as Wegovy, for overweight and obese patients with certain cardiovascular and circulatory conditions. The drug is a weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist made by Novo Nordisk and is already used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. The new guidance would expand NHS eligibility in England to an estimated 1.2 million people, applying to patients with a body mass index of 27 or higher alongside existing heart medicines. NICE said the recommendation was supported by trial evidence showing reduced risk of major cardiovascular events. Key points: - NICE recommends semaglutide (Wegovy) for people with specified heart and circulatory conditions and a BMI of 27 or more. - Regulators estimate about 1.2 million people in England could become eligible under the new guidance. - A large clinical trial of 17,604 participants reported a roughly 20% lower risk of a major heart event among those taking semaglutide with existing heart medicines. - NICE reported the treatment is cost effective for NHS use, and officials suggested it could be available within months. - Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that can lower blood sugar, support weight loss, and has effects on the heart and blood vessels. Summary: The recommendation expands the population on the NHS who may access semaglutide as part of cardiovascular care and links weight-targeting treatment to prevention of heart attacks and strokes. Officials have described the decision as cost effective and indicated the drug could become available on the NHS within months. Detailed local rollout timing and arrangements were not specified.