‘King Kong’ of weight loss jabs has been approved in the UK
Mounjaro, otherwise known as tirzepatide, has now been given the greenlight in the UK although it is not recommended on the NHS yet.
In September a weight loss drug called Wegovy was approved by the UK Medicines, but now another jab has stepped into the limelight. Today, a vaccine called Mounjaro has been approved in the UK, which makes people feel fuller faster to help them lose weight.
During clinical trials it was reported that the vaccine helped people lose a fifth of their body weight after the drug was injected into either their stomach or thigh. Following this, UK regulators now say it is safe enough to be prescribed in the UK. However, it isn’t yet recommended on the NHS.
Currently, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is reviewing its use for obesity and should report back in March 2024.
However, despite the new jab displaying some positive steps in the way of helping people to lose weight, it does also come with various warnings. Experts have said that Mounjaro should not be used as a substitute for healthy diets and exercise. In addition, researchers have also said that users of the drug often put weight back on after stopping treatment.
Steve Barclay, the UK’s health and social care secretary has said: ‘Although further approvals are needed to use this in the NHS, Mounjaro has the potential to help thousands of people living with obesity and support those suffering from weight-related illnesses – if used alongside diet and physical activity. Tackling obesity could help cut waiting lists and save the NHS billions of pounds.’
According to recent government statistics, the Health Survey for England found that around 25.9% of adults in England suffer from obesity and a further 37.9% are classed as overweight.
Being overweight can have serious health affects including heart attacks and diabetes, which is why it could be a positive to have the new weight loss jab approved for NHS use.
Image: Huha Inc.
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