Weight Loss Drugs: Risks, Benefits, and NHS Impact | RCGP Insights 2024 - 0 views
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pharmacybiz on 09 Dec 24Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, has cautioned that while weight loss drugs hold significant potential to enhance many patients' lives, they are not without risks. She also expressed concern that expanding the roll out of tirzepatide at the scale proposed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) would have "significant practical and resource implications for the NHS and primary care." The final draft guidance from NICE, published on 5 December, suggests that around 220,000 people living with obesity will be offered the weekly injection, along with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, over the next three years. Marketed under the brand name Mounjaro by Eli Lilly, tirzepatide is recommended for people with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 35 and at least one weight-related illness. Accepting the request from NHS England to roll out the medication over 12 years, the NICE guidance proposes to prioritise those with the highest clinical need.