8 March 2023 - Thousands of people will soon be able to be prescribed a drug to help them lose weight as part of their treatment in an NHS specialist weight management service.

The drug can help people using it to reduce their weight by over 10% when used with support of a multidisciplinary team. These professionals are experts on coaching people on lifestyle interventions and will also monitor the drug’s potential side effects.

NICE has recommended the use of semaglutide (Wegovy), alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to adults who have at least 1 weight-related comorbidity and a body mass index (BMI) of at least 35 kg/m2.

Read NICE press release