From today, GPs in England are able to prescribe weight-loss jabs to thousands of obese patients living with a range of health problems.
The first-of-its-kind news means an estimated 220,000 people will gain access to the injection, otherwise known as Mounjaro, which works by lowering people’s blood sugar levels and slows down how quickly food is digested.
Originally, the drug was created by a company called Eli Lilly and was approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration in May 2022 to help treat type 2 diabetes.
However, in what can only be described as a dramatic shift, Mounjaro, which is also called tirzepatide, is now available on the NHS for severely obese people living with multiple different health problems. It is believed they will be able to access the drug over the next three years.
During the first year of the programme, Mounjaro will be offered to individuals who have a body mass index (BMI) over 40 and have at least four accompanying health issues. These include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obstructive sleep apnoea.
While the news has been welcomed by some, a number of GPs have expressed concerns relating to the health risks, supply loads and additional pressures the drug will cause the healthcare sector.
‘While we recognise the potential benefits of weight-loss drugs, we know many GPs are concerned about the implications of the rollout of weight-loss drugs into general practice, both in terms of workload and training to appropriately initiate and manage these treatments,’ Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said. ‘GPs and our teams are already working under intense workload and workforce pressures, and this must be factored into this rollout in order to guarantee it can be delivered safely.’
‘More widely, while weight-loss medications have a lot of potential benefits for patients who are struggling to lose weight and who meet all the clinical criteria for a prescription, they mustn’t be seen as a ‘silver bullet’ to aid weight loss,’ Professor Hawthorne continued.
‘We also need to see a focus on prevention, stopping people becoming overweight in the first place so they don’t require a medical intervention later.’
The latter couldn’t be more important. Current estimates suggest that around 1.5 million people in the UK are already taking weight-loss drugs, which could have been prescribed through private prescriptions or specialist services. For example, Mounjaro has been available, for a set fee, in specialist NHS weight loss clinics since March, as well as another drug called Wegovy.
Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, added: ‘As the NHS is now moving to implement National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, and tirzepatide becomes prescribable to more patients, we expect to see prescription volumes increase rapidly.’
Photo by Raghavendra V. Konkathi via UnSplash
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