Wegovy is one of several new "miracle" drugs that promise to revolutionize the weight-loss industry. Praised by celebrities and social media influencers, Wegovy was approved for use in the U.S., as well as in the U.K.'s free healthcare system, where it will be available to patients in spring 2023. "This drug really is now changing the paradigm of obesity treatment. You're getting 15 to 17 approaching 20% weight loss with a weekly injection," Peter Verdult, a pharmaceuticals analyst at Citi, told CNBC.
A report by the World Health Organization in 2022 showed that obesity has nearly tripled since 1975 and continues to rise. More than 1 billion people are clinically obese globally, of whom 650 million are adults, 340 million are adolescents and 39 million are children. But the long-term consequences of these drugs remain unknown. They're expensive, there are concerns about them getting into the hands of people who don't need them — and individuals who want to keep the weight off may have to stay on them for life.
