Pharmacies ‘ready and able’ to roll out weight loss jabs on the NHS
Weight loss jabs, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists and sold under brand names like Mounjaro and Wegovy, work by reducing food cravings.
Pharmacies are “ready and able” to provide weight loss jabs on the NHS, leaders from the sector have said.
It comes as reports suggest the Government is set to announce trials that would see the medication made available following a short, over-the-counter consultation for the price of an NHS prescription.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said the move would ensure the drugs are not restricted to those who can afford to pay to get them privately.
Weight loss jabs, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists and sold under brand names like Mounjaro and Wegovy, work by reducing food cravings.
At the moment, obese patients can be prescribed the drugs on the NHS after being referred to specialist weight loss clinics, which are usually located in hospitals.
Hundreds of thousands of people also access the medication privately at pharmacies, with costs ranging from between £129 and almost £300 per month depending on dose.
Reports on Friday suggest health officials are set to announce plans to make the drugs available on the NHS through pharmacies, where a prescription costs £9.90.
Olivier Picard, chairman of the NPA, said: “Pharmacies stand ready and able to deliver this service.
“Access to medicines that could cut damaging levels of obesity shouldn’t be restricted to those who can pay or disadvantage deprived communities.
“We’re yet to see the detail but this announcement has the potential to make sure that people who need these treatments the most could access them for free.”
Mr Picard added that pharmacies are “best placed” to provide these types of services with the right funding.
“Pharmacies are the most accessible part of the NHS, and there are many pharmacies in deprived areas despite recent challenges,” he said.
“Pharmacists are experts in medication and many have extensive experience delivering weight loss injections as part of a package of care including lifestyle advice.
“They are best placed to help roll this treatment out on the NHS, with the right funding support.”
Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Picard admitted there are “stock issues” with GLP-1 receptor agonists, but added: “We are currently not seeing necessarily a stock problem.”
“This week, I heard that there was as many of one and a half million people every month buying the weight loss medication privately. So there is stock in the system,” he said.
“There is an obesity crisis in the country. We know this. The weight loss jab will help many people, and I think the manufacturers will work with the NHS to make sure that the stock is available.
“We may well see a pilot to start first in an area, to see how that works and how that can be rolled out to the whole country. But overall, we think it’s good news.”
A Government spokesperson added: “As the Government shifts the NHS from sickness to prevention, we will be looking across the board at how these drugs can be made available to more people who can benefit from them.
“The NHS is already tackling obesity in innovative ways, including through community care models and digital technologies, to help deliver these drugs as part of a rounded package of care.”
