The FDA approved an expanded indication for semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy) on March 8, 2024, adding cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight. The action is based on the SELECT trial results (Lincoff et al., NEJM 2023).
The expanded indication materially affects insurance coverage decisions: many payers had previously categorized weight-loss medications as lifestyle benefits with limited or no coverage. A CV-risk-reduction indication brings semaglutide 2.4 mg into the same coverage framework as statins, antihypertensives, and SGLT2 inhibitors for the secondary-prevention population.