The UK's National Health Service (NHS) spent at least £755 million, equivalent to over $950 million USD, on weight-loss and diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro in the past year, according to new figures. This spending represents a tripling of costs since 2023.
The total expenditure on these GLP-1 agonist injections is more than double the amount allocated to the Cancer Drugs Fund and approximately one-third of the NHS's annual budget for dentistry. In the last year alone, the health service doubled its spending on these medications, which reached £331 million in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, saw the most substantial increase in financial allocation. Approximately three million prescriptions for Mounjaro were issued last year, nearly tripling from 1.1 million in 2024-2025. The NHS spent nearly £570 million on Mounjaro alone since last summer.
These figures, released by the NHS Business Services Authority, encompass prescriptions issued to patients with type 2 diabetes. However, GLP-1 agonists are also prescribed for weight loss in individuals without diabetes, suggesting the true overall expenditure may be considerably higher.
The use of these medications has surged over the past decade. NHS England now spends nearly ten times more on drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro than it did 10 years ago. GLP-1 agonists have been available in the UK since 2007 for treating type 2 diabetes, but their use escalated significantly in 2018 with the approval of semaglutide for diabetes and in 2021 for weight loss. Mounjaro was approved in 2023 and launched in pharmacies the following year.
Figures indicate that the annual spending on tirzepatide, which can facilitate weight loss of up to 20 percent of a user's body weight in over a year, has increased tenfold since 2016. Currently, drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy are approved for weight loss in the UK and can be prescribed by the NHS to individuals who are overweight or obese and have a weight-related health condition, although access is limited and many users purchase them privately.
Approximately 4.7 million people in the UK have a diabetes diagnosis, with estimates suggesting the actual number could be as high as six million, including those unaware they have type 2 diabetes. Rising obesity rates in the UK over the past three decades are considered a driving factor behind the increased demand for GLP-1 drugs. These medications function by mimicking hormones that help regulate blood sugar and promote a feeling of fullness, and are prescribed in conjunction with diet and exercise plans.
According to the recent data, GLP-1 drugs now account for 33 percent of the NHS's diabetes medication budget. An NHS spokesperson highlighted the service's prevention programs aimed at helping individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes make health changes, thereby potentially reducing future medication costs.
Recent reports have also noted concerns regarding adverse reactions associated with these drugs. A previous analysis indicated that approximately 150,000 adverse reactions have been reported. Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) was linked to 59 deaths, and liraglutide (Saxenda) to 37 fatalities, according to Yellow Card reports submitted to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Officials caution that these reports do not confirm causality, only suspicion of a link, and other health factors may be involved.