UK weight loss jab sales increase sevenfold to 2.5 million, new figures show
Weight loss jab sales surge across UK, report shows
- Sales of weight loss jabs like Mounjaro and Wegovy reached 2.5 million in the UK by July, a seven-fold increase from the previous year, with an additional million sold by August.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting aims to make these "Ozempic-style" drugs more widely available on the NHS, though they are currently rarely available on free prescription.
- Many Britons are purchasing the drugs privately, with Boots online pharmacy selling Wegovy at prices ranging from £125.10 to £206 for different dosages.
- Streeting highlighted concerns about health inequality, stating that millions who cannot afford the jabs are disadvantaged, leading to health access determined by wealth.
- Mounjaro became available on the NHS through GP practices in June, with plans to roll it out to 220,000 patients over three years, despite strict current eligibility criteria.