UK MPs call for expanded NHS access to weight-loss drugs

A report from the Health and Social Care Select Committee has criticized the current rollout of weight-loss drugs, such as Mounjaro, through the NHS as ‘unambitious’. The cross-party committee warned that limited availability has created a ‘two-tier system’ where access is determined by an individual's ability to pay, thereby deepening health inequalities.

To address these issues, the committee recommended that the government hold a summit on GLP-1 access involving healthcare professionals and providers. They also suggested better integration of regulated online pharmacies and digital providers, ensuring they have secure access to patient records to track treatment.

Furthermore, MPs called for a crackdown on the black market for weight-loss medications, noting that limited NHS supply has driven patients toward unlicensed online products. The report urged a public awareness campaign regarding these dangers and a review of online advertising regulations. The committee emphasized that obesity should be treated as a serious chronic condition and called for improved access to diet, lifestyle, and bariatric surgery services.