The Wegovy weight loss pill could come to Canada. What we know
Global News
The FDA approved the one-a-day Wegovy pill, the first oral GLP-1 medication for obesity in the U.S., Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk said in a statement Tuesday.
The company behind the Wegovy pill, the first-ever oral medication for weight loss in adults, says it could be coming to Canada if an application currently with federal health officials gets approval.
That comes after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the once-a-day pill, Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk said in a statement Tuesday.
“Novo Nordisk Canada has applied for Health Canada approval of the Wegovy pill,” a spokesperson for the company told Global News in an emailed statement.
Drugs are authorized for sale in Canada once they have successfully gone through the drug review process, Health Canada says on its website.
In Canada, drug approvals are granted by the Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) – a branch of Health Canada. A drug application is reviewed by HPFB scientists and, “on occasion, outside experts, to assess the safety, efficacy and quality of a drug.”
The Wegovy pill, if used by patients in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, can “help them lose weight and keep it off,” the company said.
The company added that the pill can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.
The U.S. FDA trials showed that if taken once a day, along with a diet and exercise routine, the pill can achieve an average weight loss of about 17 per cent in patients, Novo Nordisk said.
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