‘Game-changing' fat jabs must be rolled out more quickly on NHS demands Wes Streeting
THE NHS must 'get with the times' and speed up its roll-out of weight-loss jabs, says Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
He insists the service 'can and should go faster' — after research last week suggested the injections could transform Britain's health.
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Under current plans, it might take 12 years to issue Mounjaro to all 3.4million people eligible.
Studies indicate prescribing the drug widely could slash heart attack and cancer rates, as well as helping us live longer.
The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change says the drug could save the UK £52billion by 2050 if given to 15million patients.
Mr Streeting hailed the as 'game-changers' and said: 'I want to see us put our foot down on the accelerator.
'We need to get with the times and make sure those who might not be able to afford these drugs are able to access them.
"I absolutely accept the challenge that the NHS can and should go faster and we're looking at what we can do to speed things up.'
Tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, has been approved for NHS use by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
NHS England is rolling it out, starting with the highest-priority patients — 220,000 over three years.
Critics say going too slowly will risk the health of millions. With the jabs available privately, some 1.5million used them in March.
I lost 5st on Mounjaro - weird side effects are worth it, it's life-changing
Everything you need to know about fat jabs
Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases.
Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK.
Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market.
Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight.
They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high.
Can I get them?
NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics.
Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.
GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss.
Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk.
Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health.
Are there any risks?
Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.'
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health.
Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines.
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