GPs Begin Prescribing Weight Loss Jabs to Obese Patients on NHS

Mounjaro is the first weight-loss drug that family doctors can prescribe directly to patients meeting strict criteria, with demand expected to exceed supply.

An undated file photograph of Mounjaro, the anti-obesity drug which will be available to those considered of highest priority by the NHS. Alamy/PA

Some people in England can now be prescribed the anti-obesity drug Mounjaro after the NHS rollout of the medication began on Monday.

The repurposed antidiabetic drug, known generically as tirzepatide and made by pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, reduces blood sugar levels and slows digestion, effectively suppressing hunger and helping people lose weight.