‘However, many GP practices don’t feel confident to offer injections and most local health systems don’t pay practices for starting injectable therapy. He said that ‘the class of GLP-1ra appears to reduce cardiovascular events (in particular stroke), they are effective glucose lowering agents, help people lose weight and also reduce blood pressure’.

However he added that ‘until today’ one of the ‘barriers’ has been ‘the injectable nature’ of GLP1 treatment. GLP-1ra are, in my view, under prescribed in the UK with only about 7-10% of patients with this condition being prescribed them.’ This is especially important during the Covid-19 pandemic and will ensure those most vulnerable, including people with type 2 diabetes, receive the care they need.’ĭr Patrick Holmes, a GP with a special interest in diabetes based in Darlington, told Pulse: ‘I would agree Rybelsus potentially offers a lot to patients with “uncontrolled” type 2 diabetes. ‘This could help to address delays in treatment intensification, improve patient adherence and help patients reach their treatment goals. Previously this group of people would have required an injectable GLP-1 RA via specialist referral. Patients could achieve their target blood sugar with an additional benefit of weight loss with just a tablet. However, in reality GPs will be bound by local prescribing protocols, which may ration the drug on cost concerns, GPs warned.ĭr Andre Krzeminski, a Northampton GP with a special interest in diabetes who was involved in the clinical trials for the treatment, said: ‘Oral semaglutide will allow GPs to intensify treatment for people with type 2 diabetes with a GLP-1 RA in a new and novel way. NovoNordisk said the drug had the potential to help over 900,000 people in England whose whose blood sugar is above optimum levels (HbA1c >58.5 mmol/mol or 7.5%). NICE told Nursing in Practice‘s sister publication Pulse that the oral version would be covered by the same recommendation as the injectable version of semaglutide. However, GPs have said the fact it is only available as an injection acts as a ‘barrier’ to prescribing it.

NICE already recommends glucagon‑like peptide‑1 (GLP‑1) treatment in obese patients who have not responded sufficiently to other treatment.

How long is the expert gps trial