Novo Nordisk and NACOS call for urgent action on obesity amid policy failures and new treatment debates

In a revealing interview, Cem Ozenc, Corporate Vice President & General Manager, Oceania at Novo Nordisk, and Professor John Dixon, Vice President of the National Association of Clinical Obesity Services (NACOS), confront the stark reality of obesity as a chronic disease and shed light on the severe gaps in Australia’s approach to this escalating health crisis.

“We have virtually no system of effectively treating obesity in Australia in our public health system. We’ve never had drugs on the PBS.

“Even 95% of the very effective bariatric surgery is done in our private hospitals. What we’ve had is a situation where people living with obesity have been shamed, blamed and told that they’re not really worthy of treatment,” Professor Dixon told Health Industry Hub.

The duo discussed the significance of Wegovy (semaglutide), the first GLP-1 receptor agonist available for chronic weight management through private prescriptions.

“Every dollar put into prevention of obesity pays back six times. While treatment is important, they need to go hand in hand. We can’t wait anymore,” highlighted Ozenc.

Regarding a recent study comparing Wegovy with endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty over 5 years, Professor Dixon provided context as to why surgery did not “take off” despite being more cost-effective and durable.

“We’ve known for decades that bariatric surgery is overwhelmingly cost effective. But, surgery has been shamed and blamed. It’s been unacceptable to the community and to our public health,” Professor Dixon stated.

Discussing public policy, the interview touched upon the debate over government reimbursement for weight loss medicines amid rising obesity rates and associated health risks.

Lastly, the interview highlighted challenges within the National Obesity Strategy 2022–2032, noting concerns over inadequate funding allocated for its implementation. As election cycles approach, Ozenc and Dixon advocated for increased investment to effectively address obesity amidst competing health priorities.

“A strategy means nothing if we don’t resource it and if we don’t put the right political leadership behind it,” Ozenc stated.

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