Copenhagen: Denmark will begin placing sufferers affected by sort 2 diabetes on cheaper medication earlier than prescribing so-called GLP-1 medication similar to Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, the Danish Medicines Company mentioned on Wednesday.
In 2023, 50 per cent of recent sufferers affected by sort 2 diabetes started remedy with a reimbursed GLP-1 drug with out making an attempt a less expensive various first, the Medicines Company mentioned.
Demand for Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Ozempic has soared as many individuals have began utilizing the diabetes drug for its weight-loss results.
Docs and different prescribers within the UK have been in July ordered to cease prescribing Ozempic to individuals who haven’t got sort 2 diabetes, following a nationwide scarcity of GLP-1 medication as a result of hovering demand for authorised and off-label use.
The Danish Medicines Company expects practically half of all these at the moment utilizing GLP-1 medication to modify to cheaper options, however mentioned it might proceed to reimburse sufferers for his or her GLP-1 medication, in the event that they can’t be handled with the cheaper counterparts.
The medication that might be affected by Denmark’s new regulation when it enters into drive on Nov. 25 this 12 months embody Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Rybelsus, and Eli Lilly’s Trulicity.
The inexpensive counterparts are really helpful on the identical footing as GLP-1 medication, the Medicines Company mentioned.
(Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, modifying by David Evans)
