Mounjaro won't be the last drug company to bow to Trump
The price of one diet pill does not make a great deal of difference. The trouble is, the decision was prompted by President Trump's determination to make the cost of medicines a lot fairer between the United States and the rest of the world. This is going to end up costing Britain, along with many other countries, a lot of money.
Eli Lilly will be increasing the British price of Mounjaro, the most popular and effective weight loss injection, from £92 for a medium-sized dose to £180, and from £122 to £330 for a stronger version. The reason is simple. President Trump, with his typically blunt language, complained about how a friend of his brought 'the fat drug' in London at a far lower price than in the US despite being 'the same box made in the same plant by the same company'.
More broadly, President Trump has made a big issue of the huge differences in drug prices between the US and other countries. He has imposed tariffs that could go as high as 250 per cent to force the major pharmaceutical companies to bring their manufacturing onshore and lower prices for American patients. Eli Lilly's response, quite rationally, has been to increase the price in the UK to start to close the gap and keep the President happy.
Eli Lilly won't be the last pharmaceutical company to do this. Truth be told, President Trump has a point about the unfairness of drug prices in his country. On average, medicines cost 2.7 times more in the US than they do in the rest of the world. That might make sense for poor countries, but it is hard to see why developed economies in Europe, the Gulf or Asia should pay so much less for medicines than America does.
In effect, the US subsidises the rest of the world, paying for the huge cost of research while the rest of the world gets drugs at far less than they would otherwise cost. But if that is rebalanced, medicines will inevitably get a lot more expensive, both for private patients and in time for the NHS as well. Given that the UK spends £34 billion a year on pharmaceuticals and that £19 billion of that comes from the NHS, that is going to be a very big bill – and one that we can barely afford.
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Daily Record
7 minutes ago
- Daily Record
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The average home contains thousands of different types of bacteria, but Brits might be horrified to find out some of their everyday items are dirtier than a toilet seat. Clear It Waste teamed up with Dr. Hana Patel, NHS GP and GP Medico-Legal Expert Witness, who adds expert insight into hidden bacteria and their potential health implications. And the seemingly innocuous bathroom towel is a hotbed for breeding bacteria. Studies have found that a third of people only wash their towels once a month, but this may not be enough. Bathroom towels are often left in damp, warm bathrooms, meaning they have the perfect environment for bacteria and mould growth. Many believe them to be clean as they are used to dry clean hands, but germs and mould can thrive on our damp towels, and the dampness itself could create problems, as Dr Hana Patel explained. And Clear Ut Waste said that shower towels should always be washed once a week at a minimum. That equates to roughly every three to five uses, they estimate. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Dr Patel said it is important to follow this rule even if you think your towels are clean. She said: "There are possibly millions of mould species on earth. The rare species that cause diseases do so by triggering allergies or asthma, or may be involved in hypersensitivity diseases. "Even if visible mould is not present, dampness alone can increase the risk of health problems. Excessive moisture can promote the growth of microorganisms such as mould and other fungi, certain species of house dust mites, bacteria or viruses. "Most people come into contact with the substances produced by damp and mould by breathing them in. This means they predominantly affect the airways and lungs. Damp and mould can cause disease and ill health in anyone, but people with underlying health conditions, weakened immune systems are at greater risk of ill-health from damp and mould." Other items that are often dirtier than the loo seat include the kitchen sponge. The washing up staple can be home to thousands of bacteria. 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Scottish Sun
7 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
I've lost 5 stone on MJ & gained 8lbs trying to come off – I'm panicking about new cost but I'll rack up debt if need be
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A WOMAN who's lost almost five stone on Mounjaro has admitted she's willing to get herself into debt to stay on it amid the upcoming price hike. The fat jab community was left panicked when GLP-1 supplier Eli Lilly announced they will be increasing their prices by up to 170% from 1st September. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Chloe-Lou was left in an "instant panic" after hearing the prices of Mounjaro are set to dramatically increase in September Credit: TikTok/@bamboowoolston 6 She's been on the GLP-1 drug for the past 14 months, and has lost 4st 11lbs to date Credit: TikTok/@bamboowoolston 6 She's now virtually unrecognisable from her former self Credit: TikTok/@bamboowoolston 6 Being on Mounjaro has also led to Chloe-Lou "reversing" her PCOS and getting a new lease of life Credit: TikTok/@bamboowoolston So the price of a 12.5mg Mounjaro pen is likely to go from £139 to a whopping £236 - leaving users terrified they'll be forced to come off the "miracle" drug. One person who went into an "instant panic" after hearing news of the upcoming price hike is 34-year-old Chloe-Lou, who has lost 4st 11lbs in 14 months on the jabs and has been documenting her journey on TikTok. 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There are also people looking into getting the jabs on the black market - something Chloe-Lou also did before she started with a legit Mounjaro supplier. "Before using Mounjaro I bought semaglutide off of the black market," she said, referring to the other GLP-1 drug, most often sold under the name Wegovy. WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR WEIGHT LOSS JABS ON THE NHS? NHS eligibility for weight loss injections has expanded but still lags behind the number who could potentially benefit from taking them. Wegovy, medical name semaglutide, is only available for weight loss through specialist weight management clinics. Patients are typically expected to have tried other weight loss methods before getting a prescription. They may be eligible if their body mass index (BMI) is higher than 30, or higher than 27 if they have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. 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How to get free debt help There are several groups which can help you with your problem debts for free. Citizens Advice - 0800 144 8848 (England) / 0800 702 2020 (Wales) - 0800 144 8848 (England) / 0800 702 2020 (Wales) StepChange - 0800138 1111 - 0800138 1111 National Debtline - 0808 808 4000 - 0808 808 4000 Debt Advice Foundation - 0800 043 4050 You can also find information about Debt Management Plans (DMP) and Individual Voluntary Agreements (IVA) by visiting or Speak to one of these organisations - don't be tempted to use a claims management firm. They say they can write off lots of your debt in return for a large upfront fee. But there are other options where you don't need to pay. "Especially after how I felt being off the drug for 8 weeks - gaining weight and having uncontrollable hunger. 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Daily Mirror
8 minutes ago
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NHS warns 'call 999' for this chest symptom in the hot weather
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