Give more people weight loss jabs on the NHS, say MPs
A cross-party group of UK MPs has criticized the current NHS rollout plan for weight-loss drugs like Mounjaro, calling it 'unambitious' and 'woefully small.' They argue that expanding access could reduce the long-term economic burden of obesity and prevent the growth of an unregulated black market.
Why it matters
The debate over public funding for weight-loss medication highlights the tension between healthcare costs and public health outcomes in the UK.
Image source, Getty Images By Nick Triggle Health correspondent Published 23 October 2026, 00:06 BST Hundreds of thousands more people should be given access to the weight-loss injection Mounjaro on the NHS in England, a cross-party group of MPs says.
The Health Committee said the current plan for 220,000 people to have this jab for free on prescription in 2028 was a "woefully small number" and "unambitious".
This represents only around 6% of eligible people and is a key reason why more than a million have been paying privately for weight-loss injections, including Mounjaro and Wegovy.
The committee says a two-tier system is emerging in which only the wealthy can get good access to the medication that curbs appetite.
Due to costs, the NHS is currently working on a 12-year rollout for Mounjaro - although this is being reviewed.
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