The key facts
- A parliamentary committee considers the NHS plan for Mounjaro (220,000 people by 2028) 'pitifully small' — about 6% of the 2.8 million eligible for the drug.
- Providing the drug to all eligible patients would cost the NHS £15.2 billion over five years; the cost of obesity to the economy is estimated at around £75 billion a year.
- The committee demands action against the black market in weight-loss drugs and criticises the fragmented obesity care system.
Committee calls rollout plan 'unambitious'
A cross-party group of MPs on the health committee of the UK parliament has called for significantly wider access to the weight-loss injection Mounjaro in NHS England. In their view, the current plan to provide free access on prescription to 220,000 people by 2028 is a 'pitifully small number' and an 'unambitious' approach: it amounts to only about 6% of the 2.8 million people eligible for the drug. It is precisely the lack of access, the MPs note, that has led more than a million people to buy weight-loss injections, including Mounjaro and Wegovy, at their own expense.
'Two-tier system' and high cost
The committee argues that a two-tier system is emerging, in which only wealthy people have good access to appetite-suppressing drugs. Due to cost, the NHS is currently implementing a 12-year rollout plan for Mounjaro, which is under review. It is estimated that immediately providing the drug to all 2.8 million eligible patients would cost the NHS £15.2 billion over five years. Part of the expense is linked to the healthcare system relying heavily on general practitioners for prescribing and monitoring. The MPs proposed drawing on the experience of private providers using digital platforms and simplifying the patient support process, which could reduce costs. They also pointed out that this is economically justified: the cost of obesity to the economy is estimated at around £75 billion a year. Wegovy is available on the NHS, but only through specialist weight management services.
Black market and criticism of the care system
The committee also called for action against the black market in weight-loss drugs: in its view, the lack of NHS availability pushes people to buy unlicensed products online. The MPs proposed running an awareness campaign about the dangers and reviewing the regulation of online advertising. In addition, they criticised the weight-loss services system as poorly designed and under-resourced, calling for improved access to diet and lifestyle courses as well as bariatric surgery. According to the BBC, Moran said obesity should be treated as a serious condition, like diabetes: 'People can struggle with their weight all their lives. We are saying the NHS should provide effective, structured support in tackling obesity for everyone who seeks it. Instead, these people are let down again and again.' Jack Doughty of the Obesity Health Alliance said that people with obesity 'are left alone with a fragmented and overstretched treatment system', and that existing services — from behavioural support to drugs and bariatric surgery — 'remain patchy and unequal'.
NHS England's position
NHS England said it is considering ways to speed up the rollout of weight-loss drugs, but currently 'rightly prioritises these treatments for those with the most severe and complex needs'.
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