Eli Lilly develops groundbreaking new weight-loss pill
In an exclusive interview with NBC News' Stephanie Gosk, Eli Lilly's chief scientific officer says their weight loss pills show promising effects in the latest clinic trial. Company data suggests the pill is as strong as Ozempic. The side effects are similar to injectables and some researchers caution that these drugs need to be managed by a doctor.April 17, 2025
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Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Are YOU eligible for free fat jabs on the NHS? As GPs start dishing out Mounjaro – all you need to know
Our round-up also reveals what you need to do if your GP denies you a fat jab prescription and advice if you're intending on buying them privately NATIONAL JAB SERVICE Are YOU eligible for free fat jabs on the NHS? As GPs start dishing out Mounjaro – all you need to know THEY are arguably the biggest medical breakthrough of recent times. And from Monday, so-called 'fat jabs' will be made available to many more Brits on the NHS. Advertisement 5 From Monday, GPs will begin prescribing the weight-loss jab Mounjaro in the first anti-obesity rollout of its kind Credit: Getty 5 Health chiefs hope the Mounjaro rollout will turn the tide on England's obesity crisis Credit: Getty In what marks the dawn of a new era, GPs will begin prescribing the weight-loss jab Mounjaro in the first anti-obesity rollout of its kind. More than three million people are thought to be eligible for tirzepatide - the active drug in Mounjaro - the strongest jab on the market. Health chiefs hope it will turn the tide on England's obesity crisis which has seen rates double since the 1990s. Advertisement Injections including Ozempic and Wegovy have previously only been available for type 2 diabetes or through specialist slimming clinics. Family doctors will now be encouraged to prescribe them in a bid to get more people on the meds. Experts hope widespread use will slash work sick days and boost the economy, while reducing rates of cancer, heart disease and dementia. But demand for the drugs is already huge and NHS clinics cannot dish them out fast enough. Here is everything you need to know as the rollout begins: Advertisement What is Mounjaro and what has it been used for so far? 5 Studies found Mounjaro caused 20 per cent weight loss over 18 months Credit: Reuters FOR anyone who has missed the frenzy, Mounjaro, aka tirzepatide, is the newest weight loss injection used on the NHS. It has been around since 2022 and triggers fullness hormones in the gut to prevent hunger and over-eating. This works the same as older jabs Wegovy and Ozempic, all known as GLP-1 agonists, but a recent trial showed it is more effective. A head-to-head study in the New England Journal of Medicine found Mounjaro caused 20 per cent weight loss over 18 months, while semaglutide – the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic – led to 14 per cent. Advertisement All the jabs were originally invented to treat type 2 diabetes but trials found they could also cause major weight loss. Pharma firms have cashed in on the discovery and UK prescriptions have skyrocketed. NHS prescriptions of Mounjaro in England surged from just 3,300 in 2023 to 1.1million last year, and more than a million people are estimated to be buying it online. Weight Loss Jabs - Pros vs Cons Who will be eligible in the new rollout? THE new rollout starting on Monday will allow GPs to prescribe tirzepatide for weight loss, starting with those patients whose weight places them at greatest health risk. Top of the list will be those with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher and four weight-related health conditions. Advertisement A BMI of 40 is roughly equal to weighing 16st (102kg) for an average height 5'3' woman, or 19st 6lbs (123kg) for an average 5'9' man. Weight-related conditions include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnoea and heart disease. Patients will likely be expected to have tried diet and exercise first before being offered a jab. Many are likely to miss out, as some 13.5million adults in England are obese but only 3.4million are estimated to be eligible in the rollout. How will the rollout be run and what is new? 5 Wes Streeting wants a more widespread use of the drugs but patients must also receive check-ups Credit: Getty Advertisement WHAT'S new is that the rollout will be the first run by NHS primary care, led by GP surgeries. In theory this should make life easier for patients – but GPs will not be able to meet the huge demand. NHS bosses have admitted it will take a staggering 12 years to treat everyone who is eligible. Just 220,000 extra people are likely to get Mounjaro by 2028. Private prescriptions, costing about £100-£150 per month, already vastly outnumber that and are rising. Advertisement Health Secretary Wes Streeting wants a faster rollout and more widespread use of the drugs but patients must also receive regular check-ups and lifestyle help. Officials are investigating whether they can dish them out through pharmacies or the NHS app to take a load off GPs. Professor Jason Halford, of the European Association for the Study of Obesity, said: 'These drugs have the potential to help millions. 'If the government and NHS are serious about prevention they need to reconsider their position on the speed of the rollout of these drugs.' Professor John Deanfield, a heart doctor at University College London, added: 'These drugs provide a real opportunity to delay many diseases of ageing all at the same time and potentially transform society. Advertisement 'I hope it won't take 10 years to do something that is so needed.' What if my GP says no? 5 If you are eligible but your GP denies you a prescription, you may be able to ask for a referral to specialist weight management services Credit: Getty MANY people are expected to miss out and some surgeries are already pouring cold water on patients' hopes. Fairhill Medical Practice in Kingston upon Thames said: 'Once we are able to prescribe weight loss injections they will be offered to those with the highest medical need only, which may mean that a lot of patients will be disappointed.' Millions who meet the prescription criteria will simply have to be denied the drugs because doctors are so busy. Advertisement On top of everything else England's 6,300 doctors' surgeries have to deal with, they do not have the capacity to offer the necessary long-term supervision for millions more people at once. Experts reckon private prescriptions will rocket even more as frustrated patients give up waiting. If you are eligible but your GP denies you a prescription, you may be able to ask for a referral to specialist weight management services. Known as tier 2 and tier 3 weight management services, they may prescribe the jabs after other weight loss attempts. Many people are expected to find it easier to go private, with the injections widely available from high street pharmacies like Boots, Superdrug, and even Asda. Advertisement Olivier Picard, of the National Pharmacy Association, said: 'NHS provision won't meet demand straight away, so we fully expect that many people will continue seeking it privately.' Advice for people buying them privately BUYING the drugs online might seem like the faster fix – but buyer beware. Slimming success stories are everywhere but so, too, are tales of horror. Many patients have been duped by dodgy sellers, suffered severe side effects or even died after taking jabs they bought online. Bargain prices, easy tick-box applications, or prescriptions with no follow-up, should all be red flags to online shoppers. Advertisement Many pharmacies have been rapped for giving them away to people who do not meet the obesity criteria, potentially putting their health at risk. Dose strength is partly based on size and pretending you are fatter than you are could mean you end up with a medication too strong for your body, raising the risk of serious side effects. The most common side effects from the injections include feeling sick, vomiting, diarrhoea or other gut troubles. If not treated properly people can suffer more serious impacts like dehydration, gallstones, pancreatitis or allergic reactions – and more than 100 deaths in the UK have so far been linked to the jabs. The General Pharmaceutical Council issued new rules in February to say that all pharmacies must verify a patient's height and weight, and conduct at least a video call – if not face-to-face appointment – before prescribing weight loss injections. Advertisement Dr Emily Pegg, associate vice president at Lilly, which makes Mounjaro, said: 'This is still a prescription-only medicine, should only be prescribed by a registered healthcare professional and needs to be dispensed by a registered pharmacy. 'It is not something that people should be able to buy by just going out and going on to a social media site and clicking a button and it gets delivered to them. 'That is not appropriate and is probably illegal. 'Patient safety is a high priority.' 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 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. Future of fat jabs WHILE the Mounjaro rollout is expected to kick off with a whimper and not a bang, it is hoped it will mark the beginning of a new era in weight loss medicine. Advertisement Brits have been getting gradually fatter for decades and no medication or government policy has managed to beat the bulge. The drugs appear super-effective, reasonably priced and relatively safe, and could help millions slim down after failed diets. They are expected to reduce the risks of type 2 diabetes, cancer and dementia. And studies increasingly show they improve health in other ways on top of weight loss, too, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. NHS medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, believes they could one day be as transformative as cholesterol-lowering statins, which have slashed heart attacks since they were rolled out decades ago. Advertisement Prof Powis said: 'I think over time it's highly likely that these drugs will become more widespread. 'I think there will be a combination of increased evidence of positive outcomes and costs dropping, and we will learn better how to deploy them. 'This is very exciting – we're in the foothills of learning how to use them.'
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Doctors told me I'd never be a mum after childhood abuse damaged my body – but I got pregnant with an ‘Ozempic baby'
AFTER suffering years of sexual abuse, Stephanie Craig was given the heartbreaking news by doctors that she would never be a mum. The internal damage that she'd suffered due to the abuse which began when she was just a child, meant that it would be impossible for her to fall pregnant. 7 7 But after taking the weight loss jab Ozempic - Stephanie, 25, found herself staring at a miracle. Her pregnancy test stick was positive and she was expecting the baby she had always longed for, despite the doctors' predictions. She gave birth to her 'Ozempic baby' Callie in September last year, and is now enjoying being a mum. 'Even when I was in labour I didn't actually believe I was pregnant,' says Stephanie, who lives in Glasgow. 'It was only when Callie was placed onto my chest and I saw her for the first time that I actually believed she was mine.' Stephanie was in and out of children's homes as a child and suffered abuse from a young age. As she got older, she was put on the contraception pill by staff to prevent unwanted pregnancies in her teens and it caused her weight to balloon from a size 12 to a size 18 within months. She says: 'I actually developed an eating disorder at 18, when I was already around 20 stone in weight. 'I started to binge eat. I was so unhappy that it was a way of getting some control in my life. 'I was told at the age of 18 and at 22 by doctors on both occasions that I wouldn't be able to have children because of the internal damage I'd suffered. 'So I never thought I'd be a mum.' It was watching TV and seeing that James Argent from Towie had undergone gastric sleeve surgery that spurred Stephanie into action to lose weight. She said: 'I rang my friend straight away and told her that I wanted to have gastric surgery like Arg had done. 'As soon as I saw it, I knew that it was going to be the right answer for me. 'I'd tried joining slimming groups from the age of 18, but nothing had ever worked for me. So I got on and booked it straight away.' Stephanie had the gastric sleeve operation, which she financed with her savings, at The Spire Hospital in Manchester in July 2021, when she weighed just over 22 stone. In just over 12 months she had lost a massive ten stone - and had dropped to just over 12 stone. Then because she had been left with so much loose skin from her weight loss, she underwent a tummy tuck and breast uplift in Turkey in July 2022, a thigh and bra line lift in January 2023 and finally a reverse tummy tuck and thigh lift in August 2023. 7 7 7 She says: 'I felt amazing after I'd lost all the weight, but I had so much loose skin, that I had a number of cosmetic surgeries to remove it. 'My body looks so much better now. I had some savings, and it was worth every penny to finally get the body that I'm happy with. It's given me so much more confidence.' And there were more surprises to come. Stephanie took the weight loss drug Ozempic in November 2023, after the surgery had been completed, to try and lose a few extra pounds, and a few weeks later, she made the most amazing discovery. She had fallen pregnant. She says: 'I didn't believe it. I did lots of tests and they all came up positive, but I still didn't believe that I was actually pregnant. CAN OZEMPIC BOOST FERTILITY? Experts believe the 'Ozempic baby' phenomenon could be down to the major weight loss associated with the drug. This is because any weight loss, especially in those with PCOS, is known to boost fertility. The drug may also increase the chance of pregnancy because side effects such as nausea and vomiting may stop contraceptive pills from being absorbed properly. Dr Nerys Astbury, nutrition scientist and senior researcher in diet and obesity at the University of Oxford, said it was 'plausible' semaglutide injections, by reducing people's weight, could help improve fertility. 'It's nothing special about the drug,' she told the newspaper. 'The effect the drug has is on promoting weight loss. 'It is important to note that whilst some doctors are prescribing semaglutide off-label to women with PCOS, it is not clear whether it's safe to use in women during pregnancy.' She added: "It should not be used as a method to treat infertility until research demonstrating safety and effectiveness is available and until regulatory approval for use in those before and during pregnancy.' Prof Barbara McGowan, from King's College London, added: "Women on GLP-1 agonists should take contraception whilst they take the medication and stop at least two months before trying for fertility." "Healthcare professionals should include this advice when the medication is started.' 'I'd had lots of investigations over the years because of the sexual abuse I'd suffered, and had several laparoscopies, where a camera Is inserted down the fallopian tubes, and it had shown that I'd suffered a lot of internal damage. 'Because of that, the doctors always said that I wouldn't be able to fall pregnant. So to find myself looking at a positive pregnancy test stick was unreal.' It is believed that the weight loss medication, which is also used for diabetes management, can improve ovulation and menstrual cycle regularity, leading to increased fertility and potentially unintended pregnancies. She says: 'I only took it for a couple of weeks, but it certainly must have changed something in my body for me to be able to fall pregnant like this. 'Even as my bump grew, I still didn't believe there was an actual baby, even when I went for scans and saw her moving, and then even in labour. 'The only time I actually believed it was when she was handed to me for the first time, and I gave her a cuddle.' Baby Callie, who was born in September last year, is now nine months old and has just started nursery. Stephanie adds: 'It's a lovely feeling being a mum, and I know that I've got Ozempic to thank for that. I took it to lose a few pounds, but ended up with a surprise baby. 'She's a little miracle.'
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Doctors told me I'd never be a mum after childhood abuse damaged my body – but I got pregnant with an ‘Ozempic baby'
Even in labour, Stephanie Craig couldn't believe she was pregnant with her longed-for little girl JAB JOY Doctors told me I'd never be a mum after childhood abuse damaged my body – but I got pregnant with an 'Ozempic baby' AFTER suffering years of sexual abuse, Stephanie Craig was given the heartbreaking news by doctors that she would never be a mum. The internal damage that she'd suffered due to the abuse which began when she was just a child, meant that it would be impossible for her to fall pregnant. Advertisement 7 Her daughter Callie is now nine months old Credit: Supplied 7 Stephanie Craig lost 12 stone after weight loss surgery and taking Ozempic Credit: Supplied 7 She fell pregnant just a few weeks after taking the fat jab after being told she'd never be a mum Credit: Supplied But after taking the weight loss jab Ozempic - Stephanie, 25, found herself staring at a miracle. Her pregnancy test stick was positive and she was expecting the baby she had always longed for, despite the doctors' predictions. She gave birth to her 'Ozempic baby' Callie in September last year, and is now enjoying being a mum. 'Even when I was in labour I didn't actually believe I was pregnant,' says Stephanie, who lives in Glasgow. Advertisement 'It was only when Callie was placed onto my chest and I saw her for the first time that I actually believed she was mine.' Stephanie was in and out of children's homes as a child and suffered abuse from a young age. As she got older, she was put on the contraception pill by staff to prevent unwanted pregnancies in her teens and it caused her weight to balloon from a size 12 to a size 18 within months. She says: 'I actually developed an eating disorder at 18, when I was already around 20 stone in weight. Advertisement 'I started to binge eat. I was so unhappy that it was a way of getting some control in my life. 'I was told at the age of 18 and at 22 by doctors on both occasions that I wouldn't be able to have children because of the internal damage I'd suffered. Doc gives advice on how to tackle Mounjaro side effect of excess loose skin 'So I never thought I'd be a mum.' It was watching TV and seeing that James Argent from Towie had undergone gastric sleeve surgery that spurred Stephanie into action to lose weight. Advertisement She said: 'I rang my friend straight away and told her that I wanted to have gastric surgery like Arg had done. 'As soon as I saw it, I knew that it was going to be the right answer for me. 'I'd tried joining slimming groups from the age of 18, but nothing had ever worked for me. So I got on and booked it straight away.' Stephanie had the gastric sleeve operation, which she financed with her savings, at The Spire Hospital in Manchester in July 2021, when she weighed just over 22 stone. Advertisement In just over 12 months she had lost a massive ten stone - and had dropped to just over 12 stone. Then because she had been left with so much loose skin from her weight loss, she underwent a tummy tuck and breast uplift in Turkey in July 2022, a thigh and bra line lift in January 2023 and finally a reverse tummy tuck and thigh lift in August 2023. 7 Doctors told Stephanie that the internal damage she'd suffered as a result of childhood abuse would prevent her from becoming a mum Credit: Supplied 7 It is believed that the weight loss medication can improve ovulation and menstrual cycle regularity, leading to increased fertility and potentially unintended pregnancies Credit: Supplied Advertisement 7 Stephanie says that Callie is her 'little miracle' Credit: Supplied She says: 'I felt amazing after I'd lost all the weight, but I had so much loose skin, that I had a number of cosmetic surgeries to remove it. 'My body looks so much better now. I had some savings, and it was worth every penny to finally get the body that I'm happy with. It's given me so much more confidence.' And there were more surprises to come. Advertisement Stephanie took the weight loss drug Ozempic in November 2023, after the surgery had been completed, to try and lose a few extra pounds, and a few weeks later, she made the most amazing discovery. She had fallen pregnant. She says: 'I didn't believe it. I did lots of tests and they all came up positive, but I still didn't believe that I was actually pregnant. CAN OZEMPIC BOOST FERTILITY? Experts believe the 'Ozempic baby' phenomenon could be down to the major weight loss associated with the drug. This is because any weight loss, especially in those with PCOS, is known to boost fertility. The drug may also increase the chance of pregnancy because side effects such as nausea and vomiting may stop contraceptive pills from being absorbed properly. Dr Nerys Astbury, nutrition scientist and senior researcher in diet and obesity at the University of Oxford, said it was 'plausible' semaglutide injections, by reducing people's weight, could help improve fertility. 'It's nothing special about the drug,' she told the newspaper. 'The effect the drug has is on promoting weight loss. 'It is important to note that whilst some doctors are prescribing semaglutide off-label to women with PCOS, it is not clear whether it's safe to use in women during pregnancy.' She added: "It should not be used as a method to treat infertility until research demonstrating safety and effectiveness is available and until regulatory approval for use in those before and during pregnancy.' Prof Barbara McGowan, from King's College London, added: "Women on GLP-1 agonists should take contraception whilst they take the medication and stop at least two months before trying for fertility." "Healthcare professionals should include this advice when the medication is started.' 'I'd had lots of investigations over the years because of the sexual abuse I'd suffered, and had several laparoscopies, where a camera Is inserted down the fallopian tubes, and it had shown that I'd suffered a lot of internal damage. 'Because of that, the doctors always said that I wouldn't be able to fall pregnant. So to find myself looking at a positive pregnancy test stick was unreal.' Advertisement It is believed that the weight loss medication, which is also used for diabetes management, can improve ovulation and menstrual cycle regularity, leading to increased fertility and potentially unintended pregnancies. The only time I actually believed it was when she was handed to me for the first time, and I gave her a cuddle Stephanie Craig She says: 'I only took it for a couple of weeks, but it certainly must have changed something in my body for me to be able to fall pregnant like this. 'Even as my bump grew, I still didn't believe there was an actual baby, even when I went for scans and saw her moving, and then even in labour. 'The only time I actually believed it was when she was handed to me for the first time, and I gave her a cuddle.' Advertisement Baby Callie, who was born in September last year, is now nine months old and has just started nursery. Stephanie adds: 'It's a lovely feeling being a mum, and I know that I've got Ozempic to thank for that. I took it to lose a few pounds, but ended up with a surprise baby. 'She's a little miracle.' 7 Stephanie credits Ozempic for helping lose weight and get her dream baby Credit: Supplied
