[Reporter’s Notebook] Does Novo Nordisk Truly Wish for a 'Miracle in Obesity Treatment'?

"According to company regulations, information about Wegovy cannot be provided to the general media."

When you type 'Wegovy' into an internet search engine, a flood of information appears. Although it is a drug receiving great attention as a "miraculous obesity treatment," the manufacturer Novo Nordisk has refused to provide information to the media since the product's launch approached. This is completely contrary to when Sasha Semenchuk, CEO of Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, personally held a press conference before the launch and emphasized that "South Korea is a priority country for the launch of Wegovy." The reason given is that, as a prescription drug with significant effects on the human body, information that could be seen as "advertising" cannot be provided to the general media, only to specialized medical media.

However, the industry consensus is that Novo Nordisk's behavior is anachronistic. Patients have long been able to freely search for information about the drug on the internet. Specialized media outlets are also distributing articles based on materials provided by pharmaceutical companies through portal sites. Even the contents of the Wegovy launch symposium, which have not been disclosed to the general media, can be found through a simple search. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the regulatory authority, has explained that "distributing press releases based on objective and verifiable data, judged as normal corporate activities, is not considered pharmaceutical advertising," but Novo Nordisk's stance remains unchanged.

Of course, caution may be understandable given the burden of excessive attention. Novo Nordisk has cited "excessive interest from those who are not overweight patients with obesity or chronic diseases, who are the target of prescriptions" as one reason for limited information provision. However, social interest in Wegovy has already grown uncontrollably. Issues such as the potential misuse as a "diet drug" and illegal online sales have already surfaced, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has announced plans for large-scale crackdowns.

On the 15th, a model of Wegovy, Novo Nordisk's obesity treatment drug, was displayed at the launch event held at a hotel in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In such circumstances, a responsible manufacturer would naturally take an active role in proper promotion. However, seeing Novo Nordisk’s neglect makes one suspicious that they might think it is enough if the drug sells well, even if it is used as a diet drug. Less than one in ten patients can be prescribed Wegovy solely for simple obesity. But if a situation similar to the past, where many people with normal weight were prescribed Saxenda, recurs, the Wegovy market could expand indefinitely.

Wegovy earned the name "miracle" because it marked the beginning of a social change that treats obesity not just as an individual problem of weight but as a factor related to various diseases such as cardiovascular disease and dementia. If they truly care about patients, they should provide accurate information properly.