Olivier Picard, the head of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), said the number – much higher than previously thought – was a clear sign of ample stock in the system, and that pharmacists stood “ready and able” to provide the jabs on the NHS.
The NPA said the move would ensure the drugs are not restricted to those who can afford to pay to get them privately.
At the moment, obese patients can be prescribed them on the NHS after being referred to specialist weight-loss clinics, which are usually located in hospitals, but a roll-out is only happening slowly.
Some 3.4 million people are estimated to qualify for Mounjaro, but just 220,000 will receive it in England over the next three years, to help the NHS manage the expected high demand.
Reports on Friday suggest health officials are set to announce plans to make the drugs more broadly available on the NHS through pharmacies, where a prescription costs £9.90.
Pharmacies ‘best placed’ to help
“We’re yet to see the detail but this announcement has the potential to make sure that people who need these treatments the most could access them for free.”
“Pharmacies are the most accessible part of the NHS, and there are many pharmacies in deprived areas despite recent challenges,” he said.
Speaking to Radio 4’s Today programme, he admitted there were “stock issues” with GLP-1 receptor agonists, but said: “We are currently not seeing necessarily a stock problem. This week, I heard that there was as many of one-and-a-half million people every month buying the weight-loss medication privately. So there is stock in the system.
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“We may well see a pilot to start first in an area, to see how that works and how that can be rolled out to the whole country. But overall, we think it’s good news.”
Weight-loss jabs can be bought privately from high-street chemists or online pharmacies following a short consultation with a pharmacist. They cost between £120 and £250 for a month’s supply.
In clinical trials, people lost 15 to 20 per cent of their body weight, depending on the drug.
‘Obesity treatment into the mainstream’
“It also puts obesity treatment into the mainstream – exactly where a chronic, relapsing disease belongs. Of course, it’s vital we remember that these are powerful metabolic agents, not lifestyle short cuts or quick fixes.
A Government spokesperson said: “As the Government shifts the NHS from sickness to prevention, we will be looking across the board at how these drugs can be made available to more people who can benefit from them.
“The NHS is already tackling obesity in innovative ways, including through community care models and digital technologies, to help deliver these drugs as part of a rounded package of care.”
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