Tens of thousands of extra patients to get access to wonder obesity jab Wegovy

Tens of thousands of extra people will get access to a new wonder obesity drug after Rishi Sunak called for it to be made available outside hospitals.

The Prime Minister launched a pilot study to see whether the drug Wegovy could be prescribed by GPs – allowing far more to take advantage.

Earlier this year, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) decided that obese people with heart conditions should be able to receive the drug Wegovy free on the NHS.

The drug has been proven to help adults living with obesity lose more than 15 per cent of their body weight when prescribed alongside diet, physical activity and behavioural support.

But at the moment, NICE says the drug can only be made available in specialist weight management centres based in hospitals – reaching just 35,000 people. If it could be made available outside hospitals it could reach tens of thousands more, Downing Street said.

Mr Sunak has therefore ordered a £40 million pilot to test how the drugs could be made available outside hospitals – including through GP prescriptions.

But there are supply issues with the drugs. The company making Wegovy has said that unprecedented demand means that large quantities may not be available for months.

The Prime Minister said: “Obesity puts huge pressure on the NHS.

“Using the latest drugs to support people to lose weight will be a game-changer by helping to tackle dangerous obesity-related health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer – reducing pressure on hospitals, supporting people to live healthier and longer lives, and helping to deliver on my priority to cut NHS waiting lists.”

Earlier this year, NICE recommended the use of Semaglutide (brand name, Wegovy) for adults with a body mass index of at least 35 and one weight-related health condition – such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Other drugs are currently under consideration in clinical trials.

There is evidence from clinical trials that, when prescribed alongside diet, physical activity and behavioural support, people taking a weight-loss drug can lose up to 15 per cent of their body weight after one year. Taking them alongside diet, physical activity and behavioural support can help people lose weight within the first month of treatment.

Obesity is one of the leading causes of severe health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, and it costs the NHS £6.5 billion a year. There were more than one million admissions to NHS hospitals in 2019/2020 where obesity was a factor.

NICE advises that Wegovy should only be available via specialist weight management services, which are largely hospital based. This would mean only around 35,000 people would have access to Wegovy, when tens of thousands more could be eligible.

The £40m pilot will explore how approved drugs can be made safely available to more people by expanding specialist weight management services outside of hospital settings.

This includes looking at how GPs could safely prescribe these drugs and how the NHS can provide support in the community or digitally – contributing to the Government’s wider ambition to reduce pressure on hospitals and give people access to the care they need where it is most convenient for them.

Obesity and cancer

Steve Barclay, the Health Secretary  said: “Obesity costs the NHS around £6.5bn a year and is the second biggest cause of cancer.

“This next generation of obesity drugs have the potential to help people lose significant amounts of weight, when prescribed with exercise, diet and behavioural support.

“Tackling obesity will help to reduce pressure on the NHS and cut waiting times, one of the Government’s five priorities, and this pilot will help people live longer, healthier lives.”

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, the NHS medical director, said: “Tackling obesity is a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan – it can have devastating consequences for the nation’s health, leading to serious health conditions and some common cancers as well as resulting in significant pressure on NHS services.

“Pharmaceutical treatments offer a new way of helping people with obesity gain a healthier weight and this new pilot will help determine if these medicines can be used safely and effectively in non-hospital settings as well as a range of other interventions we have in place.

“NHS England is already working to implement recommendations from NICE to make this new class of treatment available to patients through established specialist weight management services, subject to negotiating a secure long-term supply of the products at prices that represent value for money taxpayers.”