The landscape of weight loss management in the UK is undergoing significant shifts, primarily driven by a drastic price increase for Mounjaro, a highly popular GLP-1 weight loss drug. Manufacturer Eli Lilly announced that from September 1, the wholesale price of Mounjaro would more than double, with the highest dose soaring from £122 to £330 per month. This decision, justified by Lilly as necessary to ensure fair global contributions to innovation costs after an initial launch below the European average, does not affect NHS-negotiated prices. However, it sparks panic among the estimated 1.5 million UK residents on weight loss drugs, over half of whom use Mounjaro privately, with approximately nine in ten paying out-of-pocket. Users have voiced distress on social media, feeling compelled to abandon their 'life-changing' medication.

The price hike affects various doses, with the 2.5mg dose rising from £92 to £133, the 5mg from £92 to £180, and higher doses like 12.5mg and 15mg increasing from £122 to £330. This average rise of 126 percent has prompted a surge in panic buying and severely depleted stocks, leading to a desperate scramble for the drug. The core concern for many slimmers is the potential for significant weight regain if forced to stop Mounjaro. Evidence suggests that only about 2 to 10 percent of people maintain all their lost weight after discontinuing GLP-1 jabs. Experts attribute this to phenomena like 'weight cycling' and adverse hormonal changes in the gut that increase hunger levels.

For those affected, several options are being explored. Firstly, switching to NHS-prescribed Mounjaro is an option only for patients meeting strict BMI thresholds and having multiple obesity-related conditions. Currently, this requires a BMI of at least 40 (severely obese) and four comorbidities, with thresholds slightly lowering in future years. Private clinics, however, offer the drug to patients with a BMI over 30, or 27 with one weight-related condition. The shift to NHS treatment is not immediate, requiring face-to-face GP appointments for assessment and ongoing monitoring for at least the first year.

A more immediate and widely considered alternative for private users is switching to Wegovy, a GLP-1 drug containing semaglutide, manufactured by Novo Nordisk. Experts, including TV pharmacist Thorrun Govind and Toby Nicol, CEO of CheqUp, confirm that switching is