Since March 2024, Switzerland’s basic health insurance started reimbursing part of the cost of Wegovy, a weight-loss drug developed by Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk. The decision has led to a surge in uptake—and concern among insurers, reported RTS.
Roughly 40,000 people received Wegovy under Switzerland’s mandatory health insurance in 2024, according an association representing health insurers. The drug, which functions primarily as an appetite suppressant, is covered under strict conditions. Yet even with those limitations, reimbursements have climbed sharply. The drug cost insurers CHF 43 million last year and the rise is accelerating.
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) reported that around 250,000 monthly doses were reimbursed in 2024. In just the first three months of 2025, insurers had already spent half the previous year’s total on the drug.
Adrien Kay, a spokesman for the association Prio Swiss said that if 2% of the adult population received Wegovy, the annual cost could reach CHF 300 million. Reimbursement is currently authorised until the end February 2027.
Obesity is classified as a chronic illness in Switzerland. Some 43% of Swiss adults are overweight or obese, with 12% falling into the latter category, according to the 2022 Swiss Health Survey. The public health burden is growing: in 2012, direct and indirect costs associated with obesity were estimated at CHF 8 billion. An updated figure is due in the second half of 2025.
Whether reimbursing Wegovy is ultimately cost-effective remains unclear. Advocates argue it could reduce the prevalence of comorbidities such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. But critics question whether a lifelong drug treatment is sustainable—or affordable. Also, when the drug is stopped excess weight returns, adding to concerns about the drug’s effectiveness and ongoing cost.
For now, Swiss insurers are authorised to reimburse Wegovy for up to three years. But patients who wish to stay slim after that may be forced to pay out of pocket.
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