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A mass deployment of weight loss drug on NHS in England should start on Monday, as GPS are empowered for the first time to prescribe anti-obesity medicine Mounjaro.
The drug, also known as shooting and manufactured by Lilly, is an anti -diabetic drug that works by lowering blood sugar and slowing food digestion. From Monday, general practitioners will be able to offer Mounjaro to seriously obese people who also suffer from a range of other health complications, marking a crucial change compared to the previous system where patients could only access these treatments thanks to specialized weight loss services.
This major initiative should reach around 220,000 people across England over the next three years, targeting people identified as having the “greatest need” of intervention.
But the leading family doctors said that some general practitioners have expressed themselves in concern about the additional workload linked to deployment.
And pharmacy experts have also said that there could be pressure on medication supplies.
Who can be prescribed Mounjaro on the NHS?
During the first year of the program, the drug will be offered to people with a body mass index (BMI) over 40 years old who have at least four other obesity health problems, such as Type 2 diabetes; high blood pressure; heart disease; and obstructive sleep apnea.
Estimates suggest that around 1.5 million people in the United Kingdom are already gaining weight loss drugwhich may have been prescribed through specialized or via private weight loss services prescription.
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, president of the Royal College of GPS, said: “Although we recognize the potential advantages of weight loss drugs, we know that many general practitioners are concerned about the implications of the development of weight loss drugs in general practice, both in terms of work and training to launch and manage these treatments correctly.
“The college shares these concerns, which is why we were satisfied with the NHS England suggested a progressive deployment of Mounjaro as a treatment for weight loss. As this is intensified, the resources appropriate for the general practice – including access to the services’ `enveloping ” – and training for general practitioners must follow.
She added: “GPS and our teams are already working under intense pressure and workload pressures, and this must be taken into account in this deployment in order to guarantee that it can be delivered safely.
“More broadly, while weight loss drugs have many potential advantages for patients who find it difficult to lose weight and who meet all clinical criteria for a prescription, they should not be considered a” miracle solution “to help weight loss.
“We must also see the accent on prevention, preventing people from being overweight in the first place so that they do not need medical intervention later.”
Dr. Hawthorne said there is no “one size for any approach” and that the deployment of blows should not “put himself to the detriment of another weight loss service”.
She continued: “The deployment of weight loss drugs in the NHS should be assessed in a consistent manner to guarantee that there is evidence that these prescriptions are long -term for patients.”
Olivier Picard, president of the National Pharmacy Association, said: “The demand for weight loss jabs continues to increase sharply, and more general practitioners have returned patients to pharmacies after initial surveys, to access these private treatments.
How do weight loss work work?
Explain
Weight loss injections, also known as the GLP-1 receptors, work by imitating the natural hormone that regulates blood sugar, appetite and digestion.
They can be prescribed to lower blood sugar in people living with type 2 diabetes, but can also help people lose weight.
Diabetes Uk Explain that drugs increase the levels of a hormone type called incretins, which helps the body produce more insulin if necessary and reduce blood sugar.
Medicines also reduce food desires and slow down the speed with which food is digested.
This can reduce the level of glucose is absorbed in the blood circulation. As a result, it makes those who take it more longer, eat less and lose weight.
“While the NHS is now evolving to implement the advice of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) and the shooting becomes prescribed to more patients, we expect to see prescription volumes increase quickly.
“However, the provision of the NHS will not immediately respond to the request, so we are fully expecting that many people continue to look for it in private in a pharmacy.
“”Pharmacists are medication experts and many of us have a lot of experience in weight loss injections in the context of a set of care, including lifestyle tips.
“We are well placed to help deploy a weight loss treatment on the NHS, with the right funding to support it.
“The greatest concern we have is that the prescription of these drugs alone lacks the point.
“They should be part of a complete weight management strategy – combining life coaching, exercise and nutritional advice. In reality, many general practitioners do not have the bandwidth to provide the level of support necessary to ensure good understanding and follow -up.
“Consequently, we could find ourselves in a situation where the patients are prescribed the drug, lose weight, then undergo a weight gain of the rebound once the course ends – simply because the fundamental lifestyle changes have not been discussed.”
