Concern has been expressed over whether such treatment to help those who are dangerously overweight will be cost effective. Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter We have more newsletters Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter We have more newsletters Mounjaro, a medication that is used to help treat type 2 diabetes , has been reccomended to help dangerously obese people lose weight on the NHS. Known also as tirzepatide and manufactured by Eli Lilly, Mounjaro is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist, a group of drugs that assist in blood sugar management.
Once administered, such compounds mimic the effects of the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone which regulates appetite and blood sugar levels. Draft guidance has been issued stating that the drug should also be considered to help manage obesity, along with more exercise and improved diet. It follows the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorising Mounjaro for use in aiding obese adults with weight loss back in November.
Other GLP-1 agonists include semaglutide, marketed under the brand names Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus. In September, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) suggested Mounjaro as an alternative for type 2 diabetics who could not tolerate metformin - a separate diabetes medication. In April, the Scottish Medicines Consortium, which advises NHS Scotland on licenced med.
