The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) has recommended that the HSE consider public funding for semaglutide (Wegovy) for weight loss, finding it cost-effective despite its high price. Funding for up to one million people would cost €4.4 billion over five years, while limiting eligibility to a BMI over 40 with a weight-related condition would cost €265 million over the same period. The NCPE found Wegovy more cost-effective than the rival GLP-1 drug Mounjaro, but warned the budget impact would be “substantial.” The HSE called the recommendation “nuanced,” said its corporate pharmaceutical unit will negotiate prices with manufacturers, and that the budget impact will be discussed in the coming months.
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