How do I get weight loss medication?

Read here to find out how to start the process with weight loss medication

A treatment course with weight loss medication always starts with your general practitioner or a doctor specializing in medical weight loss. The doctor knows the Health Authority’s guidelines and will have a thorough discussion with you.

You start with your general practitioner

It will always require a visit to the doctor, as weight loss drugs are prescription-only and can only be prescribed by a doctor. Most often, you will visit your general practitioner, but you can also choose to go to a private doctor specializing in weight loss medication. They can be found throughout the country. The guidelines followed by doctors state that the patient must have a BMI over 30 or over 27 plus other comorbidities to be considered for the medication. Other comorbidities can include prediabetes or high cholesterol.

The general recommendations still say that medical treatment for obesity should not be the first choice, and if medical treatment is deemed medically relevant, it should be supplemented with lifestyle changes and assessed to significantly improve the patient’s health.

In the USA, the FDA has just (March 2024) approved that Wegovy can also be used to prevent life-threatening cardiovascular events in people with cardiovascular disease and overweight or severe obesity.

Be aware of the doctor you choose

It is worth noting that all doctors in Denmark have the right to prescribe medication. This means you can encounter doctors who are willing to prescribe medication even if it is not within the general recommendations – this is called an “off-label” prescription. Here, the prescribing doctor takes responsibility for the effectiveness and side effects, as there will not be relevant studies supporting the treatment.

There are also opportunities to buy the medication abroad via the internet, without involving a doctor. In this case, you would be taking the medication at your own risk. We DO NOT recommend using this approach.

Your BMI is a crucial factor

To be prescribed weight loss medication, you must have an elevated BMI.

Currently, the threshold is 30, or 27 if you have comorbidities.

Calculate your BMI here