Ireland's health watchdog finds Wegovy is cost-effective but warns five-year bill could reach €4.4 billion

Ireland's drug pricing watchdog, the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, has ruled that weight-loss drug Wegovy represents value for money and recommended that the HSE extend access to it for public patients. The five-year budget cost for the full eligible population could hit €4.4 billion — more than the State's entire medicines bill for next year. Novo Nordisk manufactures Wegovy, whose active ingredient semaglutide also powers Ozempic.

The NCPE says stricter eligibility criteria could cut the cost to between €263 million and €3.2 billion over five years.

Privately, patients are already paying up to €600 a month for weight-loss drugs including Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic.