MPs call for wider NHS access to weight‑loss injection Mounjaro
A cross‑party group of MPs says the NHS plan for 220,000 free prescriptions of Mounjaro by 2028 is far too limited.
The Health Committee, made up of MPs from across the political spectrum, has urged the NHS in England to dramatically expand access to the weight‑loss injection Mounjaro.
The committee criticised the current NHS plan to provide the drug free of charge to 220,000 people by 2028, describing it as “woefully small” and “unambitious.”
That figure represents only about 6 % of the estimated 2.8 million people who are eligible for the medication, according to the committee’s data.
Because of the limited NHS provision, more than a million people are reportedly purchasing weight‑loss injections such as Mounjaro and Wegovy privately.
The MPs warned that this creates a two‑tier system in which only those who can afford private treatment receive timely access to appetite‑curbing drugs.
Cost concerns have led the NHS to design a 12‑year rollout for Mounjaro, a schedule that is now under review.
Financial modelling suggests that providing the drug to all eligible patients immediately would cost the NHS £15.2 billion over five years.
Part of that expense is tied to the NHS’s reliance on general practitioners to prescribe and monitor treatment.
MPs argue that the NHS could lower costs by adopting digital platforms used by private providers to streamline patient support.
They also note that the broader economic impact of obesity—estimated at around £75 billion a year—makes expanding access financially sensible.
While Wegovy is technically available on the NHS, it is limited to patients who go through specialist weight‑management services.
The committee called for a crackdown on the black market for weight‑loss drugs, saying the lack of NHS availability has driven people to buy unlicensed products online.
They propose a public‑awareness campaign about the dangers of such products and a review of online advertising regulation.
Beyond medication, the MPs criticised the overall design and resourcing of weight‑loss services, urging better access to diet and lifestyle programmes and bariatric surgery.
Speaker Moran summed up the stance, stating that obesity should be treated as a serious health condition comparable to diabetes.
In summary, the MPs are pressing for a more ambitious NHS rollout of Mounjaro, greater use of digital tools, tighter control of illegal sales, and broader support services to address obesity comprehensively.
