Eli Lilly is hiking the price of its weight-loss drug Mounjaro by 170% in the UK from September. The pharmaceutical giant's dramatic price increase affects anyone paying privately for the medication, which is also used to treat type 2 diabetes.
The cost of a month's supply of the highest 15mg dose will jump from £122 to £330. The lowest 2.5mg dose will rise from £92 to £133, meaning the annual cost of the top dose increases from £1,586 to £4,290.
NHS patients remain protected from the price shock through a separate pricing agreement. The manufacturer confirmed NHS prices were set with a distinct deal that keeps costs significantly below European averages.
International pricing pressure
The price increase comes amid White House pressure on drug manufacturers to raise overseas prices to reduce costs for American patients. President Donald Trump has targeted international pharmaceutical pricing as part of efforts to stop Americans being "ripped off" by paying nearly three times more than other developed nations.
Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, said: "We are shocked and very disappointed by this huge more than doubling of the wholesale cost of Mounjaro by the manufacturer Eli Lilly. British patients must not become pawns in a wider dispute about the costs of medicines arising from President Trump's recent letter to the US drug manufacturers."
UK obesity crisis context
The price surge hits as Britain grapples with a severe obesity crisis affecting two in three adults. More than five million people live with type 2 diabetes, while one in ten women now take weight loss injections according to recent data.
Clinical studies demonstrate Mounjaro's effectiveness, with patients achieving up to 20% body weight loss over 72 weeks. The drug launched in the UK in February 2024, joining rival treatment Wegovy which became available in September 2023.
How the medication works
Mounjaro, known medically as tirzepatide, helps manage blood sugar through weekly injections. The drug slows food digestion by changing hormone levels, making patients feel fuller for longer on less food.
Side effects include nausea, indigestion, constipation and injection site reactions. Long-term effects encompass weight loss but also potential muscle mass reduction and slower metabolism.
Eli Lilly said it was working with private healthcare providers to maintain patient access and negotiate potential discounts. The company justified the increase by citing "pricing inconsistencies compared to other developed countries" and new clinical evidence supporting the drug's value.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Metro", "Daily Mail" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
