Ozempic in the basic package: how much does that cost the Dutch per person?

ANP / ANP / Remko de Waal

Ozempic has become extremely popular as a weight loss drug in recent years. On social media and in the media, it is regularly mentioned as the way to quickly lose weight. However, that is not what the drug is intended for. Ozempic was developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and is also used in people with obesity, to better control their blood sugar levels and appetite.

However, several experts and doctors support its use . A large majority of Dutch people now also believe that new medicines for severe obesity, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, should be reimbursed from the basic health insurance package. This is evident from a survey by Ipsos I&O.

It sounds ideal: a weekly injection that makes the pounds disappear, without a strict diet or heavy exercise schedule. But does such a drug belong in the basic package? And should everyone pay for it?

The research, commissioned by the Ministry of Health, shows that almost 90 percent of respondents think such compensation, even if it would lead to a slightly higher health insurance premium, is a good idea. The respondents considered serious obesity to be a major social problem and are predominantly positive about compensation from the basic package.

Three quarters of respondents do think that conditions should be attached to the reimbursement of these drugs. For example, they believe that the drug should only be prescribed by a medical specialist, and only after the patient has demonstrably made efforts to lose weight. Slimming drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are usually administered via an injection pen, which patients can use themselves.

About twelve percent are in favor of unconditional compensation. "Everyone has the right to lose weight," says one of the respondents. Others think differently: "I did not cause the overweight, so I do not have to pay for the solution." Caretaker Minister Jansen of Public Health has sent the results to the House of Representatives.

The Healthcare Institute advised last year not to reimburse the slimming drug Wegovy. If there were a rush on the drug, the costs to society could rise to 60 million euros per year. The institute wondered whether reimbursement was 'socially justifiable'.

Just over half of respondents believe that the drugs are really effective . The drugs, which give users a feeling of satiety sooner and for longer, can easily cost several hundred euros per month. For a lasting effect, you probably have to take them for life.

The costs, if the use of Ozempic were to increase significantly, could be high . If Ozempic were to be included in the basic package, the total costs would depend on the number of users. Suppose that 1 million people use the drug at an average price of 2400 euros per year, then that would cost society around 2.4 billion euros per year, converted to more than 135 euros per inhabitant, or just over 11 euros per month. These additional costs would then be covered by the health insurance premium or taxes.

Health economist Xander Koolman does make a side note in the radio program Dit is de Dag : "We see that prices are already falling in Belgium. If the government starts negotiating, there is a good chance that the price can still be reduced considerably." But, he also says: "In America, one in eight people has used Ozempic at some point. If we reach that number in the Netherlands, it will involve a lot of money."

Experts do not all agree. Doctor and obesity expert Liesbeth van Rossum advocates including Ozempic in the basic package under strict conditions, for example for people with serious fat mass and additional health problems, as a supplement to lifestyle adjustments.

Van Rossum: "Obesity, heart attacks - you name it - are diseases that are related to being overweight. We do treat those now. We find it perfectly normal to treat high blood pressure or diabetes, while we do not address the underlying cause, obesity. I think we need to intervene much earlier, and not only when all those conditions have already developed. In the Netherlands, we need to focus much more on prevention."