Millions more Britons should be offered the weight loss jab Mounjaro on the NHS, Members of Parliament have urged the government, citing a report that indicates only 6% of eligible patients will receive the drug during its three-year rollout.
The Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) described the situation as 'woeful,' warning that it could compel desperate patients to seek the treatment through the black market, risking serious harm. Others are already incurring significant debt by paying upwards of £300 per month for private prescriptions.
This has created what MPs called a 'two-tier system' that may prevent those most in need from accessing the medication. Mounjaro, dubbed the 'King Kong' of slimming jabs, was approved by NHS drug watchdogs in late 2024. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) committed to a gradual rollout, aiming to provide the drug to 200,000 patients over three years. This staggered approach was intended to manage high demand and avoid overwhelming GP services.
However, MPs argue that this target is insufficient. Their report states, 'Current plans to rollout Mounjaro are unambitious given the scale of the challenge of obesity and reach a woefully small number of people who could benefit from this lifechanging treatment.' While acknowledging capacity and funding challenges, the committee believes there are opportunities to learn from the private sector, including digital providers, to improve access.
The HSCC contends that expanding NHS access to these drugs could prevent dangerous complications associated with obesity, potentially saving the NHS billions in the long term. Obesity, defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30, costs the UK economy over £74 billion annually and the NHS more than £9 billion. Approximately two-thirds of adults in England are classified as overweight or obese.
MPs are calling for an 'urgent reassessment of the pace of rollout of Mounjaro.' The drug has demonstrated significant effectiveness, with patients losing around a fifth of their body weight after 17 months. Currently, NHS prescriptions for Mounjaro are restricted to individuals with a BMI of 35 or higher and at least four serious weight-related health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnoea, and high cholesterol.
Other weight loss jabs have different access criteria: Wegovy is only available through specialist weight-management clinics, and Ozempic is prescribed on the NHS primarily for type 2 diabetes. The report did not propose specific changes to prescribing criteria but suggested broader improvements to obesity treatment access.
For example, the committee recommended that the NHS collaborate with approved digital providers to prescribe, monitor, and support patients taking weight-loss drugs at scale. This could free up NHS capacity and expand access. MPs also advocated for recognizing obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease, akin to type 2 diabetes or asthma, rather than solely a lifestyle issue.
Furthermore, the report highlighted the underutilization of bariatric surgery, calling it a 'cost-effective underutilised treatment for obesity.' In 2024-25, only 6,550 such procedures were performed, reaching fewer than 1% of eligible patients, a number MPs called for to be doubled.
The committee also warned of a developing 'postcode lottery,' where access to specialist services and surgery varies significantly by geographic location. The report concluded that 'people living with obesity are being let down by the NHS.'
In response, the Department of Health and Social Care stated, 'Obesity is one of the biggest challenges facing our health service, and this government is determined to end the obesity epidemic to help drive the shift from sickness to prevention.' They expect NHS Integrated Care Boards to make these drugs available as part of a phased rollout, prioritizing those with the greatest clinical need while building capacity for safe and sustainable expansion. The government has pledged to consider the committee's recommendations and respond in due course.