Pharmacists are “bracing themselves” for a surge in new prescriptions after the Wegovy pill became available in the UK today.
A snap survey by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which collected responses from 310 pharmacies between July 1 and 3, revealed that over three quarters – 76% – expect to start “significant numbers” of new eligible patients on the weight loss pill in the coming months.
Read more: ‘Significant’: MHRA approves Wegovy pill for use in the UK
The survey also found that 49% of pharmacies have already seen an “increased number of queries” from patients looking to start the treatment.
The Wegovy pill is currently available in doses of 1.5mg and 4mg, following the drug’s regulatory approval last month.
“Transformational”
NPA chair Olivier Picard said today “is a significant day” and pharmacies “are bracing themselves for a surge in demand for this new form of weight loss treatment”.
“The NHS rollout remains extremely slow and community pharmacy is ready to support a wider rollout,” he added.
And Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) chief executive Dr Leyla Hannbeck said that the new Wegovy pill “is set to be transformational.”
Read more: ‘High street’s cheapest’: Superdrug launches Wegovy pill service
Pharmacies will see demand “both from existing users switching from jabs” and “from new patients who have previously been deterred by the thought of having to inject themselves”, she added.
But both the NPA and IPA warned that the launch of the new treatment could see fake or unlicensed pills entering the market, with the NPA’s survey revealing that 97% of pharmacies were concerned about the risk to patients.
Read more: Almost 80% of patients ‘likely’ to switch to Wegovy pill, survey finds
Hannbeck stressed that “with new forms of treatment come new dangers”, adding that criminals “seek to exploit patient appetite by pushing counterfeit products, especially on social media”.
“That’s why it is essential that anyone thinking of taking Wegovy pills does so through regulated providers,” she added. “Local pharmacies are ready to offer advice and reassurance.”
Picard warned that tablet forms of medicines are “likely to be easier for criminals to counterfeit”, and said patients “should be wary of sites offering medicines at a cost that is too good to be true, or providers who are not offering consultations before prescribing”.
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It comes after Superdrug last week announced that its newly launched Wegovy pill service was the “high street’s cheapest”.
And it follows an Asda Online Doctor survey finding that over three quarters of respondents would be interested in switching to an oral version of their weight loss drug.