Doctors warn weight loss jab being misused in Ireland as 'quick fix'

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Irish doctors have said that the weight loss injection Wegovy, which is expected to become available in Ireland this year, is being misused as a "quick-fix skinny jab" promoted by celebrities.

Wegovy, an injectable prescription medication for adults who are obese or overweight, can be used to help people lose more than 10 per cent of their weight over 68 weeks. The drug, also known as semaglutide, is produced by the Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and was approved for use in Ireland in March last year.

"In Europe, Wegovy has been launched in Denmark and Norway. We expect to launch Wegovy in a number of countries in 2023," a company spokeswoman said.

There is no data available on the drug's long-term impacts, but side-effects