New weight-loss drug poses risks of health inequities in Pacific communities - expert

A public health expert is questioning the effectiveness of a new weight-loss drug for Pacific communities, which continue to experience high rates of obesity in New Zealand.

Dr Fa’asisila Savila has over 20 years of experience in Pacific Public Health research in Aotearoa and says he’s concerned about the drug’s accessibility, which has been estimated to cost $500 a month.

Savila says there is a need for culturally appropriate interventions and points out that the drug is not publicly funded, making it inaccessible to lower socioeconomic groups.

“We have different perceptions of body size and health, so any intervention with Wegovy will need to be culturally tailored and make sure that they provide an acceptable way for [Pacific] people to engage with the drug.

“I think, most importantly, Wegovy is expensive. It's not publicly funded, and so, again, it becomes an equity issue.”

Wegovy, also known as Ozempic, a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, has gained major success overseas.

Associate Health Minister David Seymour says the Government is delivering on its promise to give Kiwis access to more treatments, with Wegovy now available via prescription for weight loss. Photo/PMN News/Joseph Safiti

Despite the Government announcing earlier this month that Wegovy would be available via prescription after Medsafe approved it in April, the drug is not publicly funded. Decisions around funding are made by Pharmac and the supplier.

The drug functions similarly to a natural hormone, helping to reduce hunger and regulate blood sugar levels.

Savila explains that Wegovy is intended for long-term use, as discontinuing the medication can result in regained weight.

Pharmac receive applications for funding from pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and patients, which are then assessed by clinical experts. Pharmac then negotiates prices with suppliers to ensure affordability within their budget. Photo/Pharmac

“I think it would be dangerous in the sense that it's just a continuation of existing inequities.

“We as a community already have inequitable access to health services and it's just making that treatment inaccessible again.

“People who can afford to buy it, great for them, but then that leaves those communities, such as Pacific communities, lower socioeconomic communities, more unable to access the treatment.”

According to the latest findings from figure.nz, Pacific people in New Zealand have the highest obesity rates among ethnic groups, with 72 per cent of Pacific women and 58.2 per cent of Pacific men classified as obese.

To effectively address obesity within Pacific communities, Savila says early intervention is the best method.

Listen to Dr Fa'asisila Savila's full interview below.

But he admits that funding remains a challenge due to changes in government priorities.

“We need real sustainability in the kinds of programmes that have been shown to work with Pacific communities. We want to be thinking about prevention.

“So from school level, having some sort of control or restriction on the types of foods that are available within schools.

“A lot of people are against that type of control, which limits our ability to provide prevention at that level.”

Savila stresses the importance of tackling the root causes of obesity.

“Do we really want to go down that path of getting everyone on the drug, getting everyone gastric sleeves? We can all get thin, but we can also have poor nutrition.”

His final message to Pacific people is that the drug is straightforward. “Wegovy is not a silver bullet. It's expensive.

“It doesn't address the underlying issue of unhealthy food environments that we, especially Pacific communities, live in and that we don't want to be shackled to a drug.”