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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday approved a weight-loss drug named Wegovy to help tackle obesity and other lifestyle diseases.

The US food regulator approved a pill version of the GLP-1 drug that has been developed by Novo Nordisk, which is also its manufacturer.

Usually recommended for patients with chronic obesity, Wegovy joins the list of weight-loss drugs that are being touted as “magical” for those struggling with weight management issues along with at least one other health-related complication.

The oral medication, according to the manufacturer, contains ‘semaglutide’, the same active ingredient present in Ozempic and Wegovy injectable, which are also made by Novo Nordisk and primarily prescribed for Type 2 diabetes.

The US food regulator’s approval also clears the pill of allegations of counter-effects, with claims it reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with established cardiovascular disease.

The US Food and Drug Administration said daily consumption of this pill would “permanently replace the use of painful injectables in diabetics, obese patients or people having lifestyle issues”.

 

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Meanwhile, manufacturer Novo Nordisk said the starting dose of 1.5-milligram of Wegovy would be available from early January, and cost $149 per month from some providers. Wegovy, as well as Eli Lilly’s weight-loss drug Zepbound, are normally to be injected once a week.

According to administration officials, the newly-developed product will significantly reduce the cost of drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity. 

As per official stats from 2025, at least 40 per cent of adults and 21 per cent of children and teens are obese in the United States, with similar trends reported in other developed and developing countries.

Obesity and diabetes are now a global phenomenon, with around 830 million people detected with diabetes and more than 1 billion people found to have obesity – also a major driver of Type 2 diabetes. Alarmingly, adult obesity has more than doubled since 1990.