Talks about covering Wegovy on Canadian public health plans stall - National | Globalnews.ca

Negotiations that could have led to coverage of weight-loss drug Wegovy under Canadian public health plans are not moving forward.

Novo Nordisk, the Denmark-based parent company of Wegovy, had been in talks to bring down the cost of the medication by securing coverage under Canada's public health system.

Canada's Drug Agency, a non-profit that looks at the cost-effectiveness of different medications, asked the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, which negotiates prices for drugs on behalf of provincial, territorial and federal governments, to talk with Novo Nordisk.

According to the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance on its website, those negotiations have "concluded without agreement (manufacturer declined negotiation)."

Canada's Drug Agency said in its July recommendation that Wegovy at its list price is expected to cost $5,066 per patient per year based on the recommended maintenance dose for weight management being 2.4 mg weekly -- roughly $400 per month.

Global News reached out to Novo Nordisk for comment.

"Canada's Drug Agency has recommended Wegovy, but public reimbursement isn't being pursued at this time," said a spokesperson at Novo Nordisk.

"Our commitment remains to provide Canadians with sustainable access to obesity medications, including future innovations."

In a statement sent to Global News, the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance said its request for negotiation sent in October "was declined by Novo Nordisk without any offers being exchanged and the file has now been closed."

"We remain ready and available to re-engage this file should they change their mind. To do this, Novo Nordisk can submit an unsolicited offer, which we would welcome. "

Canada's Drug Agency recommended that Wegovy, part of the semaglutide group of medications, be available for public reimbursement, provided certain conditions are met for "chronic weight management."

According to the recommendations, patients eligible for the proposed coverage would have a body