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Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Number of fat jab NHS prescriptions doubles in a year as 73% of Sun readers now think about using injections
Prescriptions for Mounjaro surged to 1.1million from just 3,300 a year earlier FAT JAB BRITAIN Number of fat jab NHS prescriptions doubles in a year as 73% of Sun readers now think about using injections Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ENGLAND has become a fat jab nation as weight loss drug prescriptions double to almost three million in a year. Demand for drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro show no signs of slowing, with the NHS splashing out £269million on them in 2024-25. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Weight loss drug prescriptions in England have doubled to almost three million in a year Credit: Getty 5 Prescriptions for Mounjaro surged to 1.1million from just 3,300 a year earlier Credit: Alamy It comes as a new Sun survey reveals 73 per cent of our readers are thinking of using them as they struggle to shift weight. Official figures show prescriptions for the big three — Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy — rocketed from 1.4million in 2023-24 to 2.7million last year. The increase was driven by Mounjaro, regarded as the strongest jab, with prescriptions surging to 1.1million from just 3,300 a year earlier. Most were prescribed to people with type 2 diabetes, as the injections were designed to treat that condition, and have only recently been approved for weight loss alone. NHS figures suggest prescriptions in Wales also doubled last year, from approximately 34,000 to 70,000, and in Scotland from 40,000 to 50,000. The numbers are expected to rise again this year as the NHS introduces them through slimming clinics. More than a million people are also already buying the jabs privately. Dr Leyla Hannbeck, of the Independent Pharmacies Association, said: 'Never in my career have I seen a product with as much hype as these injections. 'The demand is absolutely huge and I expect it to keep increasing — the only way is up.' Clare Butler, 48, said the jabs also helped her mental health. Weight Loss Jabs - Pros vs Cons The mum, from Manchester, who has lost 4st 4lb, said: 'Mounjaro didn't only quieten the food noise, but it helped quieten the over-thinking, anxious thoughts that had consumed my life for so long.' She described it as, 'the best decision I've ever made for myself'. Research is revealing wide-ranging health benefits to the jabs, such as lowering risks of cancer, heart disease and dementia, yet warnings over weight loss drugs are also increasing. 5 Medics warn they must not be used in pregnancy, while trying to conceive or while breastfeeding, for fear they could lead to miscarriage or birth defects. They have also warned that rapid weight loss caused by the drugs could lead to bone loss and osteoporosis. Annual statistics from the NHS Business Services Authority show the total number of GLP-1 injections prescribed increased from 1,427,968 in the 2023-24 financial year to 2,734,499 in 2024-25. It was a 91 per cent spike — accounted for almost entirely by Mounjaro's growth. 5 Clare Butler lost 4st4lb on Mounjaro Credit: Clare Butler 5 Clare said the jabs not only helped her lose weight but improved her mental health Credit: Clare Butler The totals also included brands such as Saxenda, Ozempic and Wegovy. In the same period, the cost of prescribing rose from £137,808,297 to £269,276,366 — equal to 2.4 per cent of all NHS spending on pharmacy medicines, or £1 in every £42. The NHS said: 'We expect demand for weight loss drugs to continue to rise in the coming years.' The Department of Health added: 'We recognise the drugs' importance for treating type 2 diabetes and their exciting remit as new treatments for obesity.' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
The Independent
02-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
NHS could offer weight-loss jabs at pharmacies ‘for £9.90 prescription price'
Weight loss jabs may be available to patients following a short over-the-counter consultation in a pharmacy, according to reports. Drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro could be offered at an NHS prescription price of £9.90, rather than the current charge of around £150 for patients who buy the medicines through private providers. Currently, NHS prescriptions of the injections are restricted to those regarded as having the highest clinical need. There is currently a two-year waiting list for Wegovy on the health service and about a third of adults living in England are obese. Some experts argue that offering jabs at a prescription price in pharmacies would make them more accessible to the millions of Britons who could improve their health by taking the drugs. And now, a multi-million pound deal is set to be struck with a major pharmaceutical firm to fund a pilot scheme across the UK, according a Daily Mail report. A government spokesperson said: 'As the government shifts the NHS from sickness to prevention, we will be looking across the board at how these drugs can be made available to more people who can benefit from them. "The NHS is already tackling obesity in innovative ways, including through community care models and digital technologies, to help deliver these drugs as part of a rounded package of care." Weight loss jabs such as Mounjaro and Wegovy work by mimicking a natural hormone and making people feel fuller for longer. People can lose up to 15 per cent of their body weight within months using the drug. Estimates from the National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) suggest 3.4 million people could benefit from taking weight loss jabs. Health experts have also warned that obesity drugs are not a 'quick fix' and should only be used under medical supervision. 'We must remember that whilst weight loss medications can play an important role in efforts to tackle obesity, they are not a quick fix, and they are not suitable for everyone,' Thorrun Govind, Pharmacist and health expert told The Independent. However, she explained that pharmacists are 'well-equipped' to offer the drugs. She said: 'Pharmacists are highly trained, regulated professionals who are well-equipped to support patients in accessing treatments safely. By making medicines available through pharmacies, we can reduce the risk of people turning to unsafe, unregulated sources and ensure they receive trusted advice and clinical oversight.' Pharmacist Dr Leyla Hannbeck also stressed the importance of accessing weight loss jabs from professionals and not from unknown sources online. Dr Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association told The Independent: 'This is a move in the right direction. Community pharmacies are well-placed in providing this this service and also advise patients on healthy lifestyle. 'Weight loss, for patient safety reasons should always be done in the face-to-face presence of health care professionals such as doctors and pharmacists and not online at a distance.' Obesity is estimated to cost the NHS £6bn a year. It is linked to a range of health risks from type 2 diabetes and heart disease to some types of cancer.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Protests postponed after pharmacy funding boost
The government has agreed a new funding package with pharmacy negotiators in England, leading some pharmacies to call off protests that were planned for later this week. One group representing thousands of local pharmacies was preparing to take action involving cuts to opening hours from Tuesday, but they say that will be delayed while they consider the deal. Others have said the funding package is a "step in the right direction" but it still will not cover all cost increases pharmacies are facing, including a rise in National Insurance. Announcing the deal, ministers said they were working to turn around a "decade of underfunding and neglect". Community pharmacies have been warning of closures and cutbacks in the face of what they say are unsustainable pressures. Among these are a rising workload, funding which has not kept pace with inflation and the prospect of higher employer National Insurance contributions. And all this as they are expected to help more patients with some conditions to take the pressure off GPs. Government funding for pharmacies in England stood at £2.6bn in 2019/20. But over the next few years that did not go up with inflation. In the current financial year (2024/25) it has been at £2.7bn. The government has now announced a new deal for pharmacies in England, which will see funding rise to £3.1bn next year (2025/26). The deal will also include more mental health support for patients and increased consultations and blood pressure checks. And the deal includes a plan – announced on Sunday – to enable women to get the morning-after pill for free from pharmacies. As part of the deal, the government will also write off £193 million of debt for community pharmacy owners. Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said: "We're working to turn around a decade of underfunding and neglect that has left the sector on the brink of collapse. "This package of record investment and reform is a vital first step to getting community pharmacies back on their feet and fit for the future." There was a cautious welcome from representatives of High Street chemists but warnings that the extra funding would not be enough to cover rising costs. Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, said the government's announcement was a "welcome step in the right direction" but it "does not alleviate pressures and will not stop closures". Community pharmacies in England are "on life support", she said, adding the rise in National Insurance and business rates makes the situation "even more acute". Another community pharmacy group, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), had announced that protest action would begin on Tuesday. It had previously warned that pharmacists were facing a "financial cliff edge" from 1 April, when many of their costs are due to rise. The NPA advised about 6,000 members in England to start "working to rule" from this date. This was due to involve cutting opening hours to around 40 hours a week – the minimum required under their contracts – and would have meant possible weekend closures. But the organisation says that this will be delayed while it consults members on the new deal. NPA chair Nick Kaye said Monday's announcement was a "step forward". "However, the truth is that because of a decade of neglect it also falls a long way short of the NHS's own estimates of the true cost of providing pharmacy services," he added. The NPA is "ready to work with ministers to close the funding gap, reform the system and deliver the sustainable, stronger pharmacy service that millions of people need so much", he said. Seven conditions that your local chemist can treat Morning-after pill to be made free at pharmacies in England
The Guardian
18-03-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
UK pharmacies could cut hours unless NHS provides ‘new and sufficient' funding
Independent pharmacies in England have been advised to slash their opening hours in a row over funding. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said it had 'been left with little choice' but to recommend its 6,000 members take collective action for the first time in its history, unless the government provides 'new and sufficient' funding to cover significant new costs. About 90% of an average pharmacy's work is funded via the NHS, including dispensing medication and vaccinations. But the NPA, which represents community pharmacies, says members have yet to receive any confirmation of funding for the 2024-25 or the 2025-26 financial years. Increases in employers' national insurance rates, the national living wage and business rates from April, on top of these unresolved funding issues could 'jeopardise patient safety', it says. Significant numbers of pharmacies have already ceased trading, with 1,300 pharmacies shutting since 2017. About 3,300 independent pharmacies took part in the NPA's ballot in November, a turnout of 63%. Individual pharmacies would have to give five weeks' notice to the NHS before reducing any services, but the advice could see fewer independent pharmacies being open in the evenings and at weekends, stopping free home deliveries, or withdrawing emergency contraception, smoking cessation and addiction support services. Nick Kaye, chair of the NPA, said the move was necessary 'to safeguard patient services for the long term', adding: 'It is better that we temporarily reduce access in the short term than let pharmacies collapse altogether under the weight of unsustainable operating costs. 'Pharmacies have shut in record numbers and those that are left are hanging on by their fingernails waiting for the delivery of a financial settlement that protects services on which millions of people rely. 'We hope that an offer from the government emerges by 1 April to cover the additional costs which pharmacies will face and start to plug the huge gap in funding created by 10 years of real terms cuts. 'If pharmacies do not get adequate funding, then patients risk losing access to their local pharmacy altogether, threatening their access to vital medicines and health services.' Responding to the findings, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of Independent Pharmacies Association, said that many independent pharmacies in various parts of the country have already reduced their opening hours due to a severe lack of funding and that the trend will continue. 'We are expecting a big acceleration in pharmacy closures unless the Treasury and ministers start realising the massive impact on patient care and the workload that will be added elsewhere in the NHS when pharmacies close.' The Liberal Democrat health and social care spokesperson, Helen Morgan, said: 'This announcement is deeply concerning and will worry many who rely on their local pharmacy to access the essential prescriptions they need to get through their daily lives. 'For too long, the government has left a massive question mark over the support they will give to pharmacies. The consequences of this failure are now painfully apparent. 'Ministers need to get around the table immediately and work around the clock to prevent this from happening, or risk many suffering unnecessarily.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Community pharmacy has a vital role to play as we shift the focus of the NHS out of hospitals and into the community, through our Plan for Change. 'We are currently engaging with the sector on a settlement that will start to make it fit for the future and able to provide the services that will benefit patients and the communities that they serve. 'The National Pharmacy Association's pre-emptive action will cause unnecessary disruption for patients and we urge them to reconsider.'
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boots bought by US private equity in $10bn deal
The owner of Boots has been snapped up by a US private equity group in a takeover deal worth $10bn (£7.7bn). Walgreens Boots Alliance, which has owned the UK pharmacy chain since 2014, will be bought by Sycamore Partners after a steep decline in its share price over the past decade. Its new US owner will pay $11.45 per share – an 8pc premium to Walgreens' closing price in New York on Thursday night. However, the price paid is a far cry from the $85 a share the company commanded in 2015, when the business was valued at more than $90bn. Walgreens, which employs 311,000 people globally, has struggled in the face of competition from online retailers, as well as weaker payments from health insurers. The company's share price has nearly halved over the last year. The swoop by a private equity firm will raise the spectre of potential store closures, including at Boots. Industry chiefs have warned cuts to NHS funding have made running chemists less attractive. Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, said: 'The new buyers of Boots are private equity and if the current NHS community pharmacy funding contract remains as poor as it is now – a stagnated funding which for nearly six years did not take into account any rising costs and inflation – then the new buyers may wish to let go of some of the Boots pharmacies that are not making them money.' On Friday, Ornella Barra, Walgreens' head of international, sought to reassure staff, telling them 'nothing is changing'. In a company-wide email, Ms Barra said: 'Sycamore's interest in Boots in the UK and Ireland (including our opticians business) globally reflects its confidence in the important role we play for our customers, patients, colleagues and communities.' She urged staff to 'concentrate on executing against your current projects and remain focused on your day-to-day'. Sycamore currently owns the US stationery retailer Staples, which it bought for $7bn in 2017, and the American restaurant chain Playa Bowls. It has previously held a stake in the women's footwear brand Kurt Geiger and in 2022 it made a series of offers for Ted Baker. The deal is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year and also includes a 'go-shop' period, initially set for 35 days, when Walgreens will solicit and potentially evaluate other offers. Walgreens Boots runs around 12,500 pharmacies across the US, Europe and Latin America. This includes around 1,900 stores which are part of the 174-year-old Boots chain. The US company repeatedly looked at plans to carve off the Boots business during periods when its own market value waned. Tim Wentworth, the Walgreens chief executive, said the company's 'ambitious turnaround strategy' would be 'better managed as a private company'. He said: 'Our trusted brands and deep commitment to our customers, patients, communities and team members have and will continue to anchor our business as we realise our goal of being the first choice for pharmacy, retail and health services.' Stefan Kaluzny, the managing director of Sycamore Partners, added: 'This transaction reflects our confidence in WBA's pharmacy-led model and essential role in driving better outcomes for patients, customers and communities.' After the deal was announced, Michael Cherny, a Leerink Partners analyst, said: 'It actually happened.' He added that he did not expect Sycamore to face a competing bid owing to the size of the deal and various moving parts involved in the takeover. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
