NBC News Exclusive: Ozempic and Wegovy Novo Nordisk CEO speaks out on high prices, drug shortages

Published: Aug 25, 2024 Duration: 00:04:29 Category: News & Politics

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ABOUT THE HIGH PRICES OF THOSE DRUGS ALONG WITH LONG-TERM EFFECTS. >> Reporter: JUST AN HOUR AWAY FROM THE BUSTLING BIKE LANES OF COPENHAGEN, SITS A FACTORY SO BIG YOU NEED A CAR TO GET AROUND. BLOCKBUSTER WEIGHT LOSS DRUG WEGOVY AND DIABETES DRUG OZEMPIC PRODUCED HERE BY DANISH PHARMACEUTICAL GIANTS NOVO NORDISK. A STAT OF THE ARTIFACTRY WHILE ROBOTS SHUFFLE THEM TO THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROCESS. THIS FACILITY IS ONE OF THE FEW PRODUCING THE MEDICINES WORLDWIDE. >> BECAUSE THE POPULARITY OF THESE DRUGS HAVE EXPLODED NOVO NORDISK HAS INCREASED PRODUCTION MAKING MILLIONS OF PENS IN FACILITIES LIKE THIS ONE THAT ARE OPERATING 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. BUT THAT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH, ACROSS THE WORLD AND EVEN IN THE U.S. WARNING THAT DOSES OF WEGOVY ARE IN LIMITED SUPPLY. >> WE HAVE, TO SOME DEGREE, BEEN OVERWHELMED BY DEMAND. >> Reporter: IT'S A PROBLEM CEO LARS JORGENSON SAYS THEY'RE TACKLING. >> WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY RAMPING UP CAPACITY, BUT IT IS ALSO FAIR TO SAY THAT WE ARE STILL IN THE BEGINNING. >> Reporter: HE SPOKE TO US IN THE NOVO NORDISK HEADQUARTERS AHEAD OF THEIR LAST EARNINGS. >> HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOUR COMPANY IS PRODUCING. >> I THINK IT IS A VERY EXCITING MOMENT IN THE COMPANY'S HISTORY. WE NOW SEE DATA THAT WE ARE ATTACKING OBESITY, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND OTHER CO-MORBIDITY. >> Reporter: WHILE WEGOVY HAS RESHAPED WEIGHT LOSS WORLDWIDE, IT COMES AT A CROSS AND ONE AMERICANS THEY CAN'T AFFORD. $1 PSHGS 149. IN THE UK IT'S $140. WHY IS NOVO NORDISK BETWEEN MARKETS? >> THE PATIENTS PAY NOTHING FOR THEIR CO-PAYMENTS. WE WORK A LOT WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT PAY US IN GETTING REIMBURSEMENT, BUT IT'S MUCH DIFFERENT FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS. >> NOVO NORDISK SAYS WHILE THE LIST PRICE FOR WEGOVY IS HIGHER AND THAT HALF OF THE COMMERCIAL INSURANCE PROVIDERS COVER WEGOVY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF INSURANCE COMPANY% PAY LESS THAN $25 A DOSE, BUT MEDICARE IS PROHIBITED FROM COVERING THE DRUG FOR OBESITY BECAUSE IT'S CONSIDERED A LIFESTYLE MEDICATION AND OTHER PROVIDERS SAY THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO COVER IT. >> THE TREASURER OF NORTH CAROLINA WENT AS FAR AS TO ACCUSE NOVO NORDISK OF OPERATING LIKE A DRUG CARTEL. WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT? >> I THINK IT IS UNFOUNDED, AND I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE VALUE OF THESE MEDICINES AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF OBESITY IN THE U.S., IT'S A DISEASE THAT COSTS AMERICANS MORE THAN $400 BILLION A YEAR AND WE ARE ACTUALLY PROVIDING PRODUCTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY HELPING TAKING THAT COST BURDEN OFF. >> FOR THOSE WHO HAVE USED IT, THE DRUGS HAVE BEEN LIFE CHANGING AND HOW EFFECTIVE IT WILL BE LONG TERM WITH MANY REGAINING WEIGHT ONCE THEY STOP THE DRUG. >> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF PATIENTS AND WE'LL LEARN THAT THERE WILL BE A DIFRN GROUPING OF PATIENTS. SOME WILL HAVE OBESITY THAT TAKES EFFICACIOUS TREATMENT FOR LIFE BECAUSE IT'S AN AGGRESSIVE FORM OF OBESITY AND WHAT YOU WILL ALSO PROBABLY FIND THAT THERE ARE PATIENTS AFTER A TREATMENT AND A CHANGE IN LIFESTYLE CONNECT THE TWO WITH MEDICINE. >> THE TREATMENT REQUIRING WEEKLY SHOTS CAN BE CUMBERSOME. THE NEXT HURDLE, CREATING A PILL AND THEY'RE TESTING THE DRUG TO SEE IF THEY HELP WITH ALZHEIMER'S AND KIDNEY DISEASE. >> WE SEE THIS IS THE START OF THE REAL EXCITING PERIOD, AND IT'S A GREAT SCIENCE COMING TO PATIENTS. >> A COMPANY AND I DRUG THAT'S

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