Weight-loss Drugs
Monday, 12 October 2026
Contributions
Question
Asked by
Baroness Nargund
To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the increased public interest in and use of weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic, particularly in terms of health equity and safety.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Merron) (Lab)
My Lords, weight-loss medicines are considered through the established MHRA and NICE processes, which ensure that they are used routinely for NHS patients only following an assessment of their safety, effectiveness and value for money. Patients’ safety remains paramount. These prescription-only medicines should be prescribed following appropriate clinical assessment, with ongoing monitoring and behavioural support, and obtained only from regulated providers and pharmacies.
Baroness Nargund (Lab)
I thank my noble friend the Minister for her reply. Given the MHRA’s recent safety warnings, what steps are the Government taking to conduct a review of private online prescribing, including patient eligibility, clinical monitoring and supervision? Given the benefits of these medicines, what steps are being taken to ask NICE to review its guidance so that prescriptions are given to those with clinical need, rather than the ability to pay?
Baroness Merron (Lab)
Both the questions my noble friend asks are very important. The Government recently conducted a call for evidence looking at the safety of private and online prescribing environments, and we are in the process of carefully considering the responses. I can also say to my noble friend that NICE guidance supports the prioritisation of NHS resources. It is certainly the current practice for NICE to review recommendations where there is significant new evidence, as it will be doing in late 2027 in respect of Mounjaro.
Lord McColl of Dulwich (Con)
Would the Minister kindly tell us the cost of these very expensive drugs, and how that compares with the total cost of the obesity epidemic, which is over £100 billion per annum?
Baroness Merron (Lab)
The noble Lord, Lord McColl of Dulwich, is right that, per year, that cost is around £107 billion, and almost two-thirds of the adult population live with excess weight or obesity. Currently, the funding is for around 220,000 people in the greatest clinical need to receive Mounjaro on the NHS by the end of 2027-28. The thing I really want to emphasise is that this is not the only means to tackle obesity. Prevention, weight management, healthy eating environments and the kind of restrictions we have brought in regarding the targeting of children and young people are also playing a very strong role.
Baroness Pidgeon (LD)
My Lords, we know that obesity is much more prevalent in deprived communities, so how will the Government ensure that access to these medicines is equitable, particularly for communities with the greatest need?
Baroness Merron (Lab)
As I mentioned to the noble Lord just now, we are prioritising access to those with the greatest need. It is also important to emphasise that over half of those who benefit from weight-management programmes are in more deprived areas. I know that the noble Baroness is not saying this, but it would not be right to suggest that we focus just on weight-loss medicines. However, the priority, because we cannot meet demand, is to look at the BMI of individuals and at whether at least four serious health conditions are present, including high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, for example.
Lord Patel (CB)
My Lords, these drugs are relatively new and pretty powerful as GLP-1 and GLP-2 agonists. The important issue is safety: through NHS prescribing and MHRA reporting, we collect data on medium-term and long-term side-effects, but we do not do so through private sector prescribing. It is important that this data is collected, so would the Minister suggest that the MHRA devise a system so that private practice providers of these drugs can report medium-term and long-term side-effects?
Baroness Merron (Lab)
These are indeed important aspects, and certainly online prescribers have to carry out appropriate clinical assessment and monitoring. I emphasise again that medicines should be obtained only from regulated providers. But the noble Lord is right, and we did the call for evidence to highlight the challenges in private online prescribing. They include clinical supervision, eligibility and monitoring of adverse effects, because patient safety is absolutely key. I look forward to updating the House, and indeed the noble Lord, when we have looked at that call for evidence and what it directs us towards.
Lord Kamall (Con)
My Lords, the use of weight-loss drugs offers a huge potential to address obesity, improve the nation’s health and help to get people back to work, but I want to follow up on the question from the noble Lord, Lord Patel. What data or research, private or public, is the Minister’s department aware of on the medium to long-term use of such medication? What potential negative side-effects have been identified and communicated?
Baroness Merron (Lab)
We know that, like all medications, there are side-effects. It is also true—this is another concern to be calculated—that people tend to regain weight lost once any weight-management treatment or intervention stops. This is why weight-loss medicines have to be provided alongside diet, behavioural change and physical activity, as the goal here is sustainable weight loss. The Government have a role to play in supporting individuals to see that through.
Baroness Walmsley (LD)
My Lords, what are the Government doing to address the availability on the internet of fake and unlicensed so-called weight-loss drugs, which may be very harmful to the patient?
Baroness Merron (Lab)
We have taken action through the MHRA’s criminal enforcement unit. Just last year, the unit and its partners seized over 20 million doses of illegally traded medicines. They also disrupted some 200,000 links to illegal online sales. This is an area that demands action, and I hope the noble Baroness sees that that action is being taken.
Lord Winston (Lab)
My Lords, have the Government made an assessment of the possible epigenetic effects that cause obesity, particularly in children? They may not, in fact, be related to diet and this could be extremely important.
Baroness Merron (Lab)
I do not know the answer to that question, but I will be very glad to find out and write to my noble friend.
Lord Markham (Con)
My Lords, is the Minister aware of a very positive report from the Tony Blair Institute about the positive aspects of many of the weight-loss drugs in helping people back into work through weight loss, and other benefits such as cancer and diabetes prevention, which would show a real net positive to the economy? I just wondered what the Minister’s views were on that report.
Baroness Merron (Lab)
Well, that is certainly the case. While obesity is one of the greatest health challenges, it also holds one of the greatest prizes: if we can deal with obesity, people will live longer and healthier lives, and there will be many economic benefits, to which the noble Lord referred. When I have looked at the figures, that has meant a lot. It is the very reason why, for example, we have just invested £85 million through the obesity pathway innovation programme, working with one of the pharma companies, which is putting in £35 million, so that we can look at innovative models of delivery and transform how we deal with care for those who are obese or need assistance with managing their weight.
Baroness Manzoor (Con)
My Lords, earlier in the year, the Health Foundation found that 32% fewer people living in deprived communities were prescribed this drug, compared with those who lived in wealthier communities, and nearly 80% of prescriptions were in fact for women. Are men not obese? How are we tackling this inequity and access to equity for all?
Baroness Merron (Lab)
I think I should be tactful in how I reply to the second part of the noble Baroness’s question. Of course, men and women are obese, and it is an issue, of course, for children. But I think it is important to say this: we are in quite a new world. That is why we put out the call for evidence; why we are funding the obesity pathway innovation programme, as I mentioned; and why obesity prevention and treatment is so key to the 10-year health plan. It is the key to so much. There are currently 12 projects across the UK which are looking at how we improve access and tackle inequalities and to inform future NHS delivery. We are at early stages on weight-loss medication, but I do believe that we are on the road to tackling and preventing obesity, and it is a challenge to meet.
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Source: UK Parliament Hansard API. Debate ID: 5413502.