Why Spain thinks Novo Nordisk may be illegally advertising Ozempic
Spain is investigating the drugmaker Novo Nordisk over concerns that it may be illegally advertising its blockbuster weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy.
It is the latest in a string of inquiries into the Danish pharmaceutical giant, with authorities in at least two other European countries accusing Novo Nordisk of unlawfully promoting its medications in recent years.
The drugs, which were created to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, work by mimicking a hormone in the body that makes people feel full for longer. They have surged in popularity because they help people lose weight quickly.
But health officials worry that drugmakers are seeking to boost already sky-high demand, possibly in violation of a European Union ban on consumer advertising for drugs that can only be obtained via prescription.
Pharmaceutical companies are both 'creating awareness of the disease [and] selling the drug' to treat it, Javier Padilla , Spain's secretary of state for health, told Euronews Health.
The latest kerfuffle involves a campaign that Novo Nordisk launched in Spain earlier this month to raise public awareness about the health risks of obesity with the tagline 'Obesidad Sin Filtros,' or 'Obesity Without Filters'.
The company also launched a website – which has since been taken down – on obesity's health risks that cited endorsements from key scientific societies, recommended questions for people to ask their doctors, and offered weight loss tips.
Notably, these tips included a healthy diet, exercise, and sleep, and did not explicitly mention any medicines.
Even so, the Spanish health ministry said the campaign could serve as 'covert advertising' for Novo Nordisk's weight loss drugs.
'It's widely known that if Novo Nordisk is talking about obesity, it is because it is talking about Ozempic,' Padilla said, calling the campaign 'very obvious'.
Padilla said the health ministry asked Novo Nordisk to provide more details on how the campaign came together, including what the professional societies knew about the materials beforehand. If it finds the company has violated EU law, he said the Spanish government may slap it with a fine.
A Novo Nordisk spokesperson defended the initiative, telling Euronews Health the company worked with medical societies to develop the campaign and that it is in 'good active dialogue with the authorities' in Spain.
'Obesity is not a character flaw, but a chronic disease… [and] we continue to confront the stigma and bias associated with it and advocate for access to support and care,' the spokesperson added.
Which other countries have taken aim at Novo Nordisk?
Other countries have also scrutinised Novo Nordisk's tactics in recent years. Last month, the Irish Times reported that Ireland's medicines watchdog found the company had broken rules around marketing to healthcare workers over a three-year period.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom's pharmaceutical lobby reinstated Novo Nordisk's membership in March after a two-year suspension for engaging in misleading marketing practices.
Novo Nordisk is not the only drugmaker under scrutiny. According to Padilla, the Spanish health ministry is also probing Eli Lilly, which makes rival weight loss jab Mounjaro.
Padilla called on other European countries to crack down on pharmaceutical companies that appear to toe the line between health promotion and drug advertising – particularly those selling weight loss drugs, which are expected to strain national budgets in the coming years.
'If more governments were more proactive in these situations, it would result in companies being less brave' about pushing the limits on marketing rules, Padilla said.
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