Price of 'life-changing' weight loss drug could triple within weeks
The manufacturers of Mounjaro announced overnight on Thursday that the UK price for the medication could increase by up to 170% from September 1.
Manufacturer Eli Lilly said the increase will bring the price of the drug in the UK more in line with other countries.
Ailish Jamieson, from Glasgow, is one of thousands of Scots taking the drug to improve her health and quality of life.
After being on steroid medication for ten years, she said her BMI had gone up to 46. She said she was morbidly obese and struggling to lose weight on her own. STV News Ailish Jamieson lost ten stone on Mounjaro.
'It's given me a new lease in life,' Ms Jamieson said.
'I climbed Ben Nevis. I would never in a million years have been able to do that before.'
Ms Jamieson, who already pays £160 a month for the medication, is now concerned that the price increases are going to make the medication inaccessible to many people.
She said: 'I feel very privileged that I've been able to pay for this medication.
'Now I fell like… should you be able to put a price on living a healthy life?'
Jackie Partridge, clinical director at Dermal Clinic in Edinburgh, agrees that the cost increases are going to have a big impact.
With more than half a million people across the UK taking Mounjaro, Ms Partridge has branded the price increases 'really worrying'.
'Ultimately, people who have chosen to go on this after a full medical assessment [have done so] because it's improving their quality of life and health. To then have an even bigger barrier put in the way with pricing I think is really sad.'
Heather Stringer, from Kincardine, is also worried about the price increases.
The 41-year-old used Mounjaro to lose more than nine stone, and she's still on the medication to manage her obesity and other related symptoms. STV News Heather Stringer lost nine stone on Mounjaro.
'I'm going to really need to rethink that now, and rethink whether I need to come off the medication,' she said.
'It's already a huge financial undertaking as a mum with two kids. Now, it's going to be even more of a stretch and think it'll be the case for a lot of people.'
She added: 'It's been lifechanging and I don't say that lightly. It's given me confidence, but it's also changed my health outcomes. Undoubtedly, I think I've added years to my life taking this medication.'
But she said the 'massive' price rises are going to send more people into the black market.
'That is really risky,' she added.
Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times
2 hours ago
- Times
What to do now Mounjaro's hiking its prices, by an obesity expert
In disappointing news for doctors and patients across the UK, the weight-loss jab Mounjaro is the latest casualty of global politics. Last week Eli Lilly, the US-based manufacturer of the weight-loss jab, said it would be doubling its prices for UK pharmacies. The price jump comes a month after President Trump demanded that pharmaceutical businesses lower prices for American patients and stop other countries 'freeloading' off US firms. From September the rate for a middle-sized 5mg dose will nearly double, from £92 to £180. The maximum dose, 15mg, will increase from £122 to £330. While this won't have an affect on the NHS, it will for the 1.5 million people in the UK who are buying the drug privately from online services and high street pharmacies. So what will be the consequences of these price hikes and what should Mounjaro users do? My advice is that if you can find a way to stay on Mounjaro, then you should try to, if it has improved your life. It's a popular drug among private providers because they can prescribe it for weight management to a wider range of people who meet licensed BMI and health condition criteria. Most patients won't be on the full 15mg dose so, while prescriptions will still cost significantly more, most people will find the maximum price won't apply to them. The most likely reaction from patients will be to lower their dose to pay a smaller price. The consequences of that are simple: if you move to a lower dose, you may regain some weight, because the amount of the chemical that's suppressing your appetite will be less. What's important to remember is that your weight will not go anywhere near what it was when you first started the injections, and there will still be a considerable degree of appetite control. Switching to a potentially more affordable alternative such as Wegovy, which is produced by Novo Nordisk and will not be increasing prices (£100-£200 a month from private online pharmacies), will probably have a similar consequence to cutting the dosage, because it is not as potent. Research has found Mounjaro at the 15mg dose reduced body weight in people with obesity by just over 20 per cent, whereas Wegovy at its top dose of 2.4mg cut it by nearly 14 per cent, a similar level of weight achieved by 5mg of Mounjaro. • The weight-loss drugs guide: how to avoid the side effects Switching between weight-loss drugs isn't an entirely seamless process either. Before taking Wegovy (which is also sold as Ozempic for diabetes treatment), you would need to stop Mounjaro for five weeks and begin your new drug on a low dose. Weight gain is highly likely, but it should be relatively modest, given the short period off the medicines. Those who don't live with obesity may ask why people need medical intervention to lose weight in the first place, but drugs like Mounjaro are proven to improve health in myriad ways. In most cases, they contribute to sustainable weight loss, which improves a patient's relationship with food, cuts calorie consumption and improves many risk factors, including blood pressure and blood sugar and liver fat levels. It also makes you less likely to get diseases like type 2 diabetes and decreases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. For those already living with heart failure and sleep apnoea, symptoms improve substantially. For those with osteoarthritis, weight-loss drugs can help to decrease knee pain by a third and if you have liver or kidney disease, its progression is slowed. While many headlines focus on possible side-effects such as nausea, these usually only last for the first few weeks and are often caused by the transition for some of going from eating a lot of calories to a much more modest number. The vast majority of people on weight-loss drugs are doing fine and enjoying better appetite control and reduced snacking. Weight loss usually plateaus at around one year to 18 months and, judging by the trials, average weight loss will be somewhere between 10 per cent and 25 per cent. • Weight-loss drugs herald new era of cancer prevention To some extent, the increased prices could have a positive effect. For those who lower their dose or make the transition to another brand, it may lead to deeper consideration of what else they can do to mitigate the consequences, like walking more or finding other activities they may enjoy. The truth is that we don't yet know what effect the higher prices will have, or how those buying private weight-loss medication will react. For professionals like me, it feels like we're about to embark on a big public health experiment, comparable to when the government increased the price of cigarettes. This time, though, in terms of health, price increases are taking us in the wrong direction. It's disappointing because so many people are doing well on Mounjaro. The wider context is that our food environment is not changing quickly enough and, until it does, more and more people are going to be living with obesity. For now, we have these new drugs in place to help and we want them to be cheaper, not more expensive. We want more people to benefit from them because, if we are to go by the studies we have so far, the health benefits substantially outweigh the worst thing is that the new prices make access to the drug even more difficult for the poorest people in society, and they are who need it the most. Sadly, the increased cost is another ramification of current global politics but if your health and quality of life were much improved on the medicine and you can save a bit of money elsewhere and maintain your Mounjaro prescription, the extra costs I would urge you to do so. Naveed Sattar is professor of metabolic medicine at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences at the University of Glasgow and an honorary consultant in metabolic medicine at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. He has consulted for Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk but has never held shares in any medical company
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Mum set for court showdown after Scots council leaves daughter without school
The youngster has autism and her mum has been trying to find her a specialist school EDUCATION FIGHT Mum set for court showdown after Scots council leaves daughter without school Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN angry Glasgow mum is suing the council after her daughter was left without a school. Pupils returned to classrooms across the city on Wednesday after the summer break. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Samantha Osborne is fighting for her daughter Niamh's education 3 The youngster needs an additional support needs primary but she is without a school 3 Samantha is taking legal action against Glasgow City Council Credit: Alamy But Samantha Osborne's four-year-old child Niamh has nowhere to begin her education. The youngster has autism and her mum has been trying to find her a specialist school. But the 31-year-old has pursued legal action after education bosses told her there was no room at any of their additional support needs (ASN) primaries, as reported by the Glasgow Times. Samantha has been left with no choice but to try and educate Niamh at home. She is taking Glasgow City Council to a tribunal as she desperately seeks to find her daughter a school. Samantha said: "I'm utterly disgusted and appalled at the way Niamh has been treated. "The council has agreed that mainstream education is not suitable for her needs, yet the new term has started and Niamh still has nowhere to go. 'Keeping her back from school won't do her any good whatsoever. This means she is missing out on her right to a proper education through no fault of her own. "The council has a legal duty to provide the specialist support she requires. I'm determined to fight tooth and nail to make sure she gets it." She added: "'Due to her complex condition, she has to wear nappies and requires one-on-one care which the school and staff, despite being absolutely fantastic, simply can't provide. There's just no way my daughter would be able to sit through a normal lesson, she would try to leave the classroom and because she can't talk, needs specialist teachers who understand exactly what she's going through. Miss Scotland reveals 'massive bang' after terrifying easyJet plane collision 'Niamh has been through nursery - she won't benefit from going back there for another year. My only option currently is to keep her at home and do my best to school her." Samantha, who is a carer for her mum, went to Govan Law Centre for advice. It recommended that she take Glasgow City Council to a tribunal. A hearing has been scheduled for October 20, while Niamh and her mum face months of uncertainty. A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: 'We know that the ASN tribunal appeals can cause anxiety for parents and their children as the legal process progresses. 'We are sorry that the family feel that the options for Niamh to defer a year, continue to attend nursery until the decision, or attend a mainstream primary with support, are not deemed suitable. 'In the meantime, education officers will continue to work with them to find a temporary solution."
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Mounjaro vs Wegovy: From side effects to max weight loss, how top fat jabs compare – as price hike looms
WITH the price of Mounjaro set to rise and concerns about long-term affordability and access, many may be looking to turn to alternative treatments, like Wegovy. But how do the two weight loss jabs compare in their success, side effects and price? 4 People paying privately for Mounjaro in the UK face a rise in the cost of treatment after manufacturer Eli Lilly announced on Thursday it was increasing the list price by as much as 170 per cent. The change means the suggested price for a month's supply of the highest dose of the medicine will increase from £122 to £330 (for the provider). While retailers who sell Mounjaro may be able to negotiate discounts, it's likely the price will increase at least somewhat for the estimated 1.5 million people on weight loss drugs in the UK. GP Dr Ross Perry, medical director of Cosmedics skin clinics, is one of a number of medics who predict the price change will influence patient choice over what and which weight loss treatment to opt for. Mounjaro and Wegovy are similar in that they both belong to a group of medications called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. But there are a host of differences between the two. Dr Perry says: "Wegovy has a longer track record for weight loss and might be seen as a safer, more established option, but if Mounjaro becomes significantly more expensive, some patients may opt for Wegovy to save money, even if Mounjaro could deliver slightly greater weight loss. Our experts share the main differences between Mounjaro and Wegovy to be aware of that may influence whether you make the switch. What are the main differences? While both Wegovy and Mounjaro are injectable weight loss medications, they work slightly differently. Professor Franklin Joseph, head of Dr Frank's weight loss clinic, explains: "Wegovy contains semaglutide, which mimics a hormone called GLP-1 that slows digestion, reduces appetite, and helps regulate blood sugar. "Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which mimics GLP-1 but also another hormone called GIP. "That dual action appears to be the mechanism that gives Mounjaro a slightly stronger effect on appetite control and weight loss.' Do you take different doses? Wegovy and Mounjaro are both weekly injections intended for long-term use, but have different dosing schedules. Wegovy starts at 0.25mg weekly and is gradually increased to a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg, while Mounjaro begins at 2.5 mg weekly and can be stepped up to a maximum of 15 mg. This does not necessarily mean Mounjaro users start and end on the highest dose. The dosages are not directly comparable because they are different ingredients. "Neither is designed as a short-term treatment," says Dr Perry. "They are ongoing therapies for managing weight and, in some cases, blood sugar. "As long as they remain effective and side effects are manageable, they can be taken for years under medical supervision. "Stopping the medication often makes it harder to maintain weight loss and blood sugar control." Which one can help you lose more weight? Studies so far suggest Mounjaro may be more effective than Wegovy for weight loss. In clinical trials called 'SURMOUNT', sponsored by Eli Lilly, people on Wegovy lost around 15 per cent of their body weight on average over about 68 weeks, while those on Mounjaro lost up to 21 per cent in a similar time frame. "This is likely because Mounjaro works on two hormones (GLP-1 and GIP) instead of just one," says Dr Perry. But Professor Joseph adds: "Both are very effective compared to lifestyle measures alone, and the response can be very individual, with dramatic and life-changing weight loss occurring with both medications." For Toby Nicol, CEO of CheqUp, which provides weight loss injections, Mounjaro is the more effective medication. He says: "Both drugs are excellent for weight loss, but one way of looking at this is to consider that Mounjaro is a Ferrari, Wegovy is a Porsche, but the alternative (diet and exercise) is a horse and cart.' How do side effects differ? 4 Wegovy and Mounjaro share most of the same side effects because they work in similar ways. These mainly affect digestion, says Dr Perry. Common issues include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, and stomach pain or bloating. "The main difference is Mounjaro's dual action can sometimes make these effects feel stronger, especially in the early stages or when doses are increased," Dr Perry explains. "Some people also notice greater appetite suppression or changes in taste with Mounjaro. "But serious side effects, such as gallbladder problems or pancreatitis, are rare but possible with both medications." Clinical trials have also shown that Wegovy has a higher rate of nausea. Dr Perry says: "Forty-four per cent of users experience it, but only about 12 per cent of Mounjaro users report nausea." Is one better suited to certain people than the other? 4 Wegovy and Mounjaro are both suitable for adults with obesity or those who are overweight with weight-related health problems, but there are some differences in how they're typically prescribed. Dr Perry explains: "Wegovy is widely approved specifically for weight management, so it's often the first choice for people without diabetes who want a proven option with a longer safety track record in weight loss. "It may also be preferred for patients who are sensitive to stronger appetite suppression or digestive side effects. "Mounjaro was first approved for type 2 diabetes, so it's often prescribed to people who have both obesity and diabetes or prediabetes, as it can offer powerful blood sugar control alongside weight loss. "It's newer for obesity treatment, but may be chosen for people who want the potential for greater weight loss or who haven't achieved enough results with a GLP-1–only drug like Wegovy." Prof Joseph adds: " In the end, the choice often comes down to cost, availability, side effect tolerance, and a discussion between doctor and patient.' As to whether Prof Joseph thinks patients will make the switch from Mounjaro to Wegovy, he says: "Cost will definitely play a role. "These treatments are very expensive, and if Mounjaro becomes significantly pricier, many patients may switch to Wegovy, especially if their weight loss has been steady and they're tolerating it well. "For those who can afford it, Mounjaro's extra effectiveness may justify the higher price, but most patients are very cost-sensitive, so we're likely to see more people choosing Wegovy.' The Mounjaro announcement doesn't affect the price the NHS pays, as the service has negotiated a heavily discounted rate for those getting the drug on prescription. Find out if you could be eligible below...
