New weight control drug is set for co-payment

The regulation of work is based on the rules in force in the Nordic countries. Finland and Sweden do not have a payment participation in the medicinal product. Denmark and Norway have so-called individual payment participation, as will be the case and with strict conditions. The decision was based on a health economics assessment (HTA) by the Nordic countries, which deemed the drug too expensive for the benefit and therefore is generally not granted. Exceptions are made for individuals with BMI over 50 who have serious weight-related illnesses.

Icelanders are among the nations in the world that struggle with the most overweight according to the OECD report. Therefore, it was decided to have lower criteria in Iceland than apply in other Nordic countries, thus giving more people the possibility of receiving the drug through the payment participation of Iceland Health. In preparing the rule, advice was sought from our main specialists who have specialized in the treatment of obesity, who brought many good suggestions that were taken into consideration.

The new rule is introduced that an application should be submitted by a doctor as one part of a comprehensive treatment for obesity and that the treatment should be provided by a multidisciplinary team specializing in the treatment of obesity. This is in accordance with clinical guidelines for the treatment of obese adults published on the website of the Directorate of Health.

It may be mentioned that the working rule addresses the participation of the Health Insurance in the medicinal product. Doctors may still prescribe the medication that people pay themselves.

The rule can be found here, only in Icelandic.