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🇧🇪 Belgium /Health & Science

Record reimbursement for diabetes drugs like Ozempic in Belgium

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Documents & data Context piece
  • Belgium's national health insurance fund (RIZIV) will reimburse a record 122.2 million euros for diabetes medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro in 2025.
  • Over 128,750 patients received these medications, a fourfold increase since 2019, with Ozempic being the most popular.
  • Endocrinologists attribute the rise to increasing diabetes and obesity rates, advocating for earlier prevention despite stricter reimbursement rules.

Belgium's national health insurance fund (RIZIV) is set to reimburse a record 122.2 million euros for diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro in 2025. This figure represents more than a fourfold increase compared to 2019.

In 2025, over 128,750 patients were prescribed and reimbursed for these medications, a significant jump from previous years. Ozempic remains the most popular drug, accounting for about half of all prescriptions, with over 60,000 patients using it. Mounjaro, which became reimbursable in 2025, has also seen substantial uptake, with over 12,000 patients using it last year.

There are simply no other treatments that work as well for people with diabetes

— Christophe De BlockExplaining the effectiveness of medications like Ozempic.

Endocrinologists attribute this surge to the rising prevalence of diabetes and obesity. "There are simply no other treatments that work as well for people with diabetes," said endocrinologist Christophe De Block of UZA. The RIZIV tightened its reimbursement rules late last year to combat misuse, particularly for weight loss purposes, but doctors emphasize the need for greater prevention.

If you really want to get the health budget under control, it pays to detect and treat overweight and obesity much earlier

— Bart Van der SchuerenAdvocating for preventative measures against obesity.

"If you really want to get the health budget under control, it pays to detect and treat overweight and obesity much earlier," stated endocrinologist Bart Van der Schueren of UZ Leuven. He added that the health budget is strained not by current patients, but by an aging and overweight population.

Early figures for January and February 2026 suggest the upward trend will continue, with over 83,000 people receiving reimbursed diabetes medication in just those two months, nearly as many as in all of 2022. The RIZIV has expressed concern over the sharp increase, warning of potential abuses where patients were prescribed these medications for non-diabetes-related weight loss.

The health budget is strained not by current patients, but by an aging and overweight population

— Bart Van der SchuerenAddressing the factors contributing to rising healthcare costs.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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