Estimates suggest around 1.5 million people in the UK are already taking weight loss drugs
A Mounjaro pen(Image: Peter Dazeley via Getty Images)
The mass rollout of weight loss injections on the NHS in England began in June. It means GPs are allowed to prescribe the drugs for the first time. Around 220,000 people are expected to receive Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide.
The drug is an antidiabetic drug which lowers blood sugar levels and and slows down how quickly food is digested. Mounjaro will be prescribed to severely overweight people who also suffer from a range of other health problems. It will be made by Lilly, through the NHS over the next three years.
In the first year of the programme, the drug will be offered to people with a body mass index (BMI) score of over 40 who have at least four other health problems linked to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and obstructive sleep apnoea.
Dr Claire Fuller, from NHS England, said: “This is an important next step in the rollout of weight loss drugs, with community-based services now able to offer this treatment from today.
“We urgently need to address rising levels of obesity and prioritise support for those who are experiencing severe ill health – and greater access to weight loss drugs will make a significant difference to the lives of those people.
“These drugs are an important tool alongside the range of wraparound NHS support and advice on good nutrition and increasing physical activity, which will be vital in helping some people lose weight and reduce their risk of serious long-term conditions.
“While not everyone will be eligible for weight loss drugs, it’s important that anyone who is worried about the impact of their weight on their health discusses the range of NHS support available with their healthcare professional.”
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for the management of obesity for certain patients.
Tirzepatide comes in the form of an injection which you inject yourself, once a week. Your doctor or nurse will show you how to use it.
Before prescribing tirzepatide, a healthcare professional will talk through the benefits and limitations, including any side effects you might get.
If a drug prescribed for weight loss is recommended, you will need to eat a balanced, reduced calorie diet and take part in physical activity regularly whilst taking the medicine. It is not recommended if you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you have certain health conditions.
For those taking the contraceptive pill and using tirzepatide, the NHS recommends using an additional method of contraception, such as a condom, for the first four weeks of treatment and for four weeks after each dose increase as the contraceptive pill may not be absorbed by the body during this time.
Potential side effects of tirzepatide include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Estimates suggest around 1.5 million people in the UK are already taking weight loss drugs, which may have been prescribed through specialist weight loss services or via private prescription.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Obesity is now one of the leading causes of ill health, costing the NHS billions. Yet we now have the science, technology, and knowledge to end the obesity epidemic, if we seize this opportunity.
“Obesity jabs are used by 1.5 million people in the UK, mainly through private prescriptions. The NHS was founded on a promise to ‘universalise the best’, and this Government is determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay.
“This rollout is an important step in making these medicines more widely available, and beginning to shift the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention, which our forthcoming 10-year plan will deliver.”