MILLIONS of severely obese patients in the UK will not receive access to weight-loss jabs on the NHS due to limited capacity, despite eligibility recommendations by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).
According to The Times, Nice has approved Mounjaro, a new anti-obesity injection, for 3.4 million adults in England, but only 220,000 patients will receive it over the next three years.
Mounjaro, or tirzepatide, is part of a new class of weight-loss medications, with trials showing patients losing an average of 20 per cent of their body weight after 72 weeks.
The drug is recommended for those with a body mass index (BMI) above 35 and a weight-related condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure. However, due to capacity issues, priority will be given to patients with the highest clinical need.
Nice stated that the decision to limit availability was necessary to protect other NHS services. Patients not receiving the jabs will be directed to the NHS app for weight-loss guidance. The delays come as obesity-related diseases increase pressure on the NHS, which is already managing a waiting list of 7.6 million, the newspaper reported.
Fernando Campo, head of diabetes and obesity at Eli Lilly, the company manufacturing Mounjaro, said: “Less than one in ten of the 3.4 million eligible population will get access. Tackling obesity would help the NHS unshackle itself and unburden itself from related conditions.”
Dr Kath McCullough, NHS England’s national specialty adviser for obesity, emphasised the importance of weight-loss drugs alongside lifestyle changes. “They need to be prescribed by a healthcare professional alongside programmes that help people lose weight and live healthier lives,” she said.
The rollout of Mounjaro will start next year in specialist NHS weight-loss clinics. In parallel, the government is partnering with Eli Lilly for a five-year trial in Manchester to evaluate the drug’s broader benefits, including its impact on work and obesity-related diseases, The Times reported.
Critics have raised concerns about inequality, as private clinics offer similar drugs to patients with a BMI over 30 for approximately £150 a month, while NHS patients face significant delays.
