Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro could be made available over the counter
2 May 2025, 08:18
Weight loss jabs could be made available over the counter at pharmacies in England.
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Drugs like Ozempic could be come available after a short consultation over the cost of a standard prescription.
It currently costs about £150 a month to get the jabs privately.
According to reports, a pilot scheme will take place involving a major pharmaceutical firm, with a view to rolling the jabs out over the counter to everyone in need.
At present, the jabs are only available to a small number of people on the NHS, after talks with a specialist and in conjunction with other weight loss methods. There is a two-year waiting list to get the jabs on the NHS.
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Ministers say they want the drugs to be available more easily, through high street chemists, health centres and apps.
It may eventually be possible to walk into a pharmacy and, after a short assessment, leave with a supply of jabs for £9.90.
The weight loss jabs can be bought privately from high street chemists or online pharmacies following a short consultation with a pharmacist.
They cost between £120 and £250 for a month's supply.
Around half a million people are believed to be using the jabs at present, with many getting hold of them privately. People lose around 15 to 20 per cent of their body weight while on the drugs.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, told the Daily Mail: “Weight-loss medications have a lot of potential to help patients who are struggling to lose weight, and who meet all the clinical criteria for a prescription.
“But these drugs should not be seen as a silver bullet for weight loss or a short-term fix to lose weight for a particular milestone.
“The forthcoming roll-out will need to be routinely evaluated to ensure that these prescriptions are of long-term benefit to patients, and that general practice and the wider NHS has the capacity and resources necessary to ensure treatment is being delivered safely.”
