UAE residents will have access to the newly approved Wegovy treatment within the next few days, as the first shipment of the medication has arrived in the country.

Novo Nordisk announced that the availability of this drug represents a significant shift in the global approach to obesity treatment, a disease now increasingly recognized as a chronic, progressive condition requiring long-term management.

Emil Kongshøj Larsen, Executive Vice President of International Operations at Novo Nordisk, stated that many individuals with obesity require medical intervention alongside diet and exercise. He noted that the body can continue to send hunger signals after weight loss, making it difficult to maintain weight.

Larsen emphasized that obesity medications are not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle but can help patients better manage hunger and persistent thoughts about food, enabling them to make healthier choices.

He also mentioned that expanding insurance coverage could further increase access to obesity treatments in the future. Novo Nordisk is currently in discussions with insurers and healthcare payers in the UAE.

According to Larsen, the objective of these treatments is not solely weight loss, but also the improvement of general health and the reduction of risks associated with obesity-related diseases, including cardiovascular complications.