A cross-party group of MPs is calling for hundreds of thousands more people to receive the weight-loss injection Mounjaro on the NHS in England, arguing that the current rollout plan falls far short of need.
According to BBC News, the Health Committee has criticised the plan to provide the jab to 220,000 people by 2028 as "woefully small" and "unambitious". This figure represents only around 6% of those eligible for treatment, and the committee argues it is a major factor driving more than one million people to pay privately for weight-loss injections including Mounjaro and Wegovy.
The MPs warn that a two-tier system is emerging in which access to appetite-suppressing medication is largely restricted to those with financial means, while others struggle to obtain treatment through the NHS.
The issue reflects broader challenges across the UK. Fewer than 800 Scots have accessed weight-loss injections on the NHS despite approval three years ago, while 300,000 access them privately. Similarly, NHS weight management waiting lists in Wales have reached up to 10 years, pushing many patients toward private alternatives.
Why is the NHS rollout so slow?
The NHS is currently working on a 12-year rollout for Mounjaro due to cost constraints, although this timeline is under review. If all 2.8 million eligible people were given the drug immediately, the estimated cost to the NHS would be £15.2 billion over five years.
Much of this expense stems from the NHS's reliance on GPs to oversee prescribing and patient monitoring. However, NHS England's updated guidance now allows GP practices to prescribe Mounjaro for weight management under the phased rollout, though practices are not required to offer the service.
The MPs argue that the NHS should learn from private providers, who often use digital platforms to manage some aspects of patient support. They contend that streamlining the support process could reduce costs and make financial sense given the broader economic impact of obesity, estimated at around £75 billion annually.
Access to Wegovy, another weight-loss injection, is currently available on the NHS but only through specialist weight management services, further limiting availability for most patients.
What are the eligibility criteria?
The current primary-care eligibility criteria for Mounjaro require a BMI of at least 35 (32.5 for specified ethnic groups) and at least four qualifying conditions including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, cardiovascular disease or obstructive sleep apnoea. Additionally, Mounjaro must be prescribed through a specialist weight-management service or primary care with wraparound lifestyle support, including a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
What about the black market problem?
The committee also called for action against the black market for weight-loss drugs, which has flourished due to limited NHS availability. The lack of legitimate access has driven people to purchase unlicenced products online, creating significant health risks.
The MPs want a public awareness campaign to educate people about the dangers of unregulated products, along with a review to improve regulation of online advertising for weight-loss medications.
What else needs to change?
The MPs criticised the broader system of weight-loss services in the NHS, saying they are poorly designed and under-resourced. They are calling for improved access to diet and lifestyle courses and bariatric (obesity) surgery.
Committee member Moran argued that obesity should be treated as a serious health condition equivalent to diabetes.
People can spend their entire lives battling with their weight. We say the NHS should provide effective, structured support to beat obesity for all those who seek it. Instead, those people are repeatedly failed,she said.
Jack Doughty of the Obesity Health Alliance echoed this concern, stating that people living with obesity were being
let down by a fragmented and overstretched treatment system. He added that
the existing treatment services, from behavioural support to weight-loss medications and bariatric surgery, remain patchy and unequal.
What is NHS England's response?
NHS England said it is examining ways to accelerate the rollout of weight-loss drugs but is currently
rightly prioritising these treatments for those with the most severe and complex needs.
What happens next?
NHS England says NICE will review implementation after the first three years to determine how access will be managed and who will be eligible. This review will be critical in determining whether the current rollout strategy can be accelerated to meet the demands identified by the Health Committee.
