US drug giant to temporarily halt UK Mounjaro orders

Eli Lilly, the US manufacturer of Mounjaro, has told its two British wholesalers to stop taking orders amid “unprecedented demand,” believed to be fuelled by pound-shedding Brits desperate to avoid next week’s price rise - which could be as high as 170%.

It means pharmacies, already reporting ‘Covid-style’ panic-buying of the product in recent weeks, will be unable to request more Mounjaro until the dramatic price hike takes effect on September 1st.

Earlier this month, Eli Lilly announced that the cost of the jab will surge from September. The decision came shortly after US President Donald Trump announced plans to lower domestic drug prices by encouraging America’s drug manufacturers to increase their prices in markets such as the UK.

It means users on the highest dose of the medicine could see their monthly bills soar from £122 to £330.

The result of this has been a surge in people looking to stockpile the drug.

In a letter to pharmacies across the UK, one distributor - PHOENIX - said: “Following recent news regarding Mounjaro and the upcoming price change effective 1st September, PHOENIX is currently experiencing a significant surge in demand.

“Eli Lilly [has therefore] requested that we implement an order freeze on Mounjaro products for all customers from the end of the day, 27th August.”

Read more: Wegovy sales spike after maker of rival Mounjaro ramps up UK price

Read more: 'Fat jab' Mounjaro to triple in price from September costing thousands

A spokesperson for Eli Lilly told LBC: "Lilly has allocations in place for pharmacies and providers that order stock from us, to manage our supply and ensure patients maintain access. There are legal protections in place, enforced by the MHRA, to prevent inappropriate stockpiling of medicines by providers. We encourage patients to only order based on their current treatment plan, to reduce the risk of localised disruption."

PHOENIX and the second distributor - AAH - were also approached for comment.

While the letter goes on to say that there are no supply issues with Mounjaro that will prevent the sale of the product from September 1st, concerns remain about consumers stockpiling it ahead of the price increase.

Dervis Gurol, who runs Healthy-U Pharmacy in Saltdean, East Sussex, said he has seen Covid-style stockpiling of the product.

“When panic sets in - and we’ve seen this [during] Covid - people act without any kind of normality,” he told LBC.

“For the last two weeks now,” Mr Gurol continued, “people have tried to register with multiple pharmacies to obtain the same drug from multiple places because they're panic buying. It's almost like the toilet paper scenario we had at Covid times.”

Mr Gurol added that as well as existing patients topping up their supply, “an influx” of new customers had been prompted to start their journey on the drug before its price rockets in September.

“As recently as half an hour ago, we have had a patient on the phone that's been querying if we can supply him with 12 pens of Mounjaro because they obtained a private prescription from a private doctor,” he explained.

“Instead of panicking, what they should be doing is seeking advice or a consultation from somebody that's going to be a registered healthcare professional that can assist them".

Consumers across the UK have grown frustrated at the shortages in the supply of the drug.

Amanda, a 37-year-old Mounjaro user, said the drug’s reduced availability has forced her to consider other options.

“I've spent thousands on this drug in the last six months and have seen great results - it's really stressful not knowing when your regular pharmacist can get you another dose,” Amanda said tearfully.

She continued: “They’ve literally been letting people bulk buy since the hike. If this was any other repeat prescription, we wouldn't be experiencing this.

“It's now making me look around other, less reputable online sites - that's worrying.”

The National Pharmacy Association says patients should only purchase Mounjaro from a trusted vendor, irrespective of the difficulty they experience in getting their hands on it.

Chief executive Henry Gregg told LBC: "We'd urge patients to avoid unlicensed sellers, who may be selling fake medication or medication that does not meet UK safety standards.

"Instead, we'd encourage them to speak to their pharmacy, who can support them with any concerns they may have and provide them with the safe care they need."

Sehar Shahid, who runs the online outlet 24hrPharmacy, added that options are available for patients who are unable to afford Mounjaro after the price hike, including switching to Wegovy, a cheaper alternative.

However, she cautioned that they are not directly interchangeable:

“What is important for patients and providers to understand is that these drugs aren't bioequivalent,” Shahid explained. “So for example, if a patient is on the highest dose of Mounjaro, that does not necessarily mean that they can just switch directly to the highest dose of Wegovy because they're not the same - they work slightly differently.”

Shahid added that patients considering switching from Mounjaro to Wegovy should observe a “wash-up period”, meaning they leave at least a week between their final dose of Mounjaro and their first of Wegovy.

Above all, she urged people to speak to their doctor before making a change:

“My advice to patients would always be to switch over in a licensed way to keep yourself safe and also to minimise the side effects.”

On the issue of shortages and safety advice to patients, the Department of Health and Social Care were approached for comment.