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The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has urged health and care professionals to meet relevant regulatory standards amidst the shortage of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). The council said: "We are concerned to hear that people with Type 2 diabetes are experiencing problems accessing GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). We know that these are being widely prescribed for weight loss purposes and in some cases prescribed off-label." "We recognise the adverse impact that shortages and supply chain issues can have on patients, the public and wider health and care teams. The Council understands that health and care professionals are using their professional judgement and making decisions in challenging situations, balancing a range of factors such as individual patient needs, wider public health and pressures and limitations on available resources such as medicines shortages or other supply chain issues.

The Pharmacist's Defence Association (PDA) has raised concerns over the adoption of Digital Clinical Excellence (DiCE) guidelines for online prescribing of GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight management in adults. This follows a clash with expert recommendations commissioned by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) as the PDA "believes the final guidance conflicts with the expert opinion underpins the GPhC's prosecution strategy towards pharmacist prescribers under investigation." In a recent statement, the PDA highlighted the discrepancy between DiCE's guidance and the expert report employed by the GPhC to prosecute pharmacist prescribers using a questionnaire-based consultation model. This conflict has prompted the PDA to withhold its endorsement of the DiCE guidance as it differs from an expert report commissioned by the GPhC. The PDA's reservations stem from the inherent risks associated with questionnaire-based prescribing.

Medical professionals often prescribe semaglutide to patients who have type 2 diabetes. Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, it has also shown to be an incredibly efficient weight loss aid for patients. As the active ingredient in well-known brand-name drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus, semaglutide is currently on everybody's lips. But what exactly is semaglutide? Does it really work for weight loss? We'll find an answer for you in this article, and explain the main benefits of using semaglutide for weight loss. What Is Semaglutide? A number of diabetic and weight loss medications, including Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus, have semaglutide as their active ingredient. This substance is a synthetic form of the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), that occurs naturally. Developed by the company Novo Nordisk, semaglutide was first approved by the FDA in 2017 as an injection for the treatment of adult type 2 diabetes (as part of the approval procedure for Ozempic). In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration approved a novel semaglutide form known as Rybelsus. Rybelsus was the first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in the United States.

National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not recommended 'Tirzepatide', also known as Mounjaro, developed by Eli Lilly, in its draft guidance issued on Tuesday (27 June) for treating type 2 diabetes in adults alongside diet and exercise. The independent NICE committee recognised the importance of new treatment options given that fewer than two-thirds of the adults with type 2 diabetes have adequate glucose control when using current treatment options. Evidence submitted to the committee from clinical trials showed the use of tirzepatide at any dose resulted in better glucose control and lower weight compared with semaglutide or insulin therapy. The weight reduction was more pronounced with higher doses of tirzepatide, while the effect on glucose levels seemed less dose-dependent. Similar effects were observed against all GLP-1 receptor agonists in company's network meta-analysis, but this was uncertain. The committee have asked the company to provide more data to address the uncertainties in the clinical evidence, when compared to all relevant alternative treatments.