by EuroNews
It’s published
Portugal limits the ability of doctors to prescribe blockbuster weight loss medications and monitors to track blood glucose levels rather than concerns that it is being misused.
As of Friday, only doctors from four medical specialists can prescribe glucose sensors and drugs such as Glucompic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.
The medications used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity help people lose weight by mimicking hormones.
However, injectable drugs are in high demand, causing problems that are available in the market.
This is the case with Ozempic, a Danish laboratory Novo Nordisk. Ozempic is only approved in Portugal to treat type 2 diabetes, but is highly sought after for weight loss.
Mounjaro (Eli Lilly) and Wegovy (Novo Nordisk) are approved for both diabetes and obesity. Portuguese consumers for the first four months of 2025 It spent about 21 million euros About these drugs.
Currently, only approved specialist physicians (endocrinology and nutrition, internal medicine, pediatrics, general and family medicine) can prescribe them.
Glucose sensors are also in high demand by non-diabetic patients, and there is a shortage of these monitors at pharmacies. According to Public newspaperthey are prescribed by doctors who do not work with diabetics and are highly sought after for dieting, athletes, influencers and even for use in animals.
Portugal Ministry of Health In April, he posted the rules, warning that “recent reports of inappropriate access and use of these same technologies and their availability to those who actually need them.”
“The order aims to regulate and correct these distortions and promote effective and appropriate access to these important health tools,” the ministry said.
The president of the Portuguese Diabetes Society (SPD) praised the measure, but said it was delayed and may not resolve the issue of difficult access to these drugs.
“We are waiting to see if (the measure) simplifies or promotes access,” João Raposo said, speaking to Lusa News Agency.
“I personally have doubts because there is the idea that the number of prescriptions outside of these specialties is not important,” added Raposo.
He said diabetics and doctors are not opposed to these drugs used to treat obesity. But there is “an extraordinary prescriptions and lack of surveillance on these people,” he said.
“Health cannot be subject to market laws because we know it is very attractive to this population.
GLP-1 agonist drugs are reimbursed at 90% by the province of Portugal. Sensor refunds can reach 85%.
In addition to prescriptions, there is also a high demand for these drugs on the black market, which could lead to the problem of counterfeiting.