To “guarantee more equitable access to these treatments against obesity, while maintaining a secure environment”, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) plans to “make the initiations of treatment and possible renewals by any doctor in compliance with the marketing authorization”, she explained to AFP.
These GLP-1 treatments, abbreviation of Glugaco-like Peptide 1, could thus be “prescribed in addition to a hypocaloric diet and an increase in physical activity in patients with a BMI greater than 30, or greater than or equal to 27 in the presence of at least one factor of comorbidity,” she said.
The initial prescription of Wegovy (Sémaglutide) and Mounjaro (shooting) – marketed in France since October and November 2024 respectively – as well as from Saxenda (Liraglutide) – Available since March 2021 – is currently reserved for specialists in endocrinology -diabetology -nutrition or competent nutrition doctors.
If this restriction to avoid “risks of misuse, observed with other drugs of the same therapeutic class” such as antidiabetics Ozempic (semaglutide), “made it possible to secure access” in the first months, it “could” slow down access “to these anti-obesity because” certain patients may encounter difficulties in consulting one of the specialists concerned in reasonable deadlines “, noted the ANSM.
At the same time, “there has not been an unexpected pharmacovigilance signal in terms of gravity or frequency” since the marketing of Wegovy and Mounjaro, she said. And the security data for all the drugs in this therapeutic class reported in the world and in France “do not show new pharmacovigilance signals” outside of those known.
The drug agency, which recalls that these drugs “should not be used for weight loss for aesthetic purposes”, also insisted on the continuation of its monitoring of possible serious undesirable effects.
In support of a possible enlargement of the prescriptions, the ANSM also stressed that “the supply flows are stabilized: there are no tensions noted with the AGPL-1 indicated in the management of obesity, nor massive postponements identified on Ozempic”.
Asked on Monday on the possibility of expanding the prescription of new anti-obesity treatments to general practitioners, the Minister responsible for health Yannick Neuder replied that he wanted to “move forward on this subject if possible before the summer”.