AMSTERDAM/COPENHAGEN, July 17 (Reuters) -

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk said on Wednesday

it was disappointed with the recommendation to the Netherlands

government to not cover its hugely popular weight-loss drug

Wegovy under the country's basic insurance.

The Dutch Health Care Institute had on Tuesday in its advice

to the healthcare minister said it was unclear whether the

health effects of Wegovy were large enough to weigh up against

the costs of the medicine.

The institute said even though Wegovy is effective for

losing weight, more research is needed to determine the actual

health effects.

"While we are pleased that the Dutch Health Care Institute

recognises the necessary role of medications in the fight

against obesity as a chronic disease, we are obviously

disappointed in their initial decision," a Novo Nordisk

spokesperson said in an email.

With around 4 million people in the Netherlands likely to

benefit from Wegovy, the institute said total costs for the

government could rise to around 1.3 billion euros ($1.42

billion). Wegovy is not yet for sale in the country, Novo said.

Novo had last year applied to Dutch authorities for a

coverage of the drug under its insurance for a limited group of

patients.

The institute also flagged concern about the global shortage

of the medicine's main ingredient, semaglutide, which is vital

for the treatment of diabetes.

"These shortages emphasize the importance of critically

weighing which people have the largest benefit from a medicine,"

it said.

($1 = 0.9168 euros)

(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Arun Koyyur)