Rishi Sunak announces that thousands of NHS patients could receive ‘game-changing’ weight-loss drug

A ‘breakthrough’ weight loss drug could be rolled out to tens of thousands of additional patients, Rishi Sunak announced yesterday.

To tackle obesity and reduce waiting lists, the NHS is launching a two-year pilot project to explore ways to make obesity medication available outside the hospital.

Backed by up to £40 million in funding, the initiative will look at how GPs can safely prescribe the medicines and ways the NHS can provide help in the community or digitally.

Watchdogs have already approved a weekly injection of a drug called semaglutide, sold under the brand name Wegovy. Patients lost about 15 percent of their body weight when prescribed it in addition to diet, exercise, and behavioral support.

It could be used in place of gastric banding or other slimming operations, reducing the burden on hospitals and saving the healthcare system millions of pounds. NICE recommended its use by adults with a BMI of at least 35 and one weight-related condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

In a bid to tackle obesity and reduce waiting lists, the NHS is launching a two-year £40 million pilot project to explore ways to make obesity medication available outside of hospital

The drug rationing body advised that it should only be available through specialist weight management services, largely based in hospitals, meaning around 35,000 patients would have access.

But the government said yesterday that tens of thousands more could qualify if use of the drug is expanded to patients outside hospitals. Mr Sunak said: ‘Using the latest drugs to help people lose weight will be a game-changer by helping to tackle dangerous obesity-related health problems.’

The government hopes that tackling obesity will help reduce waiting lists by reducing the number of people with weight-related illnesses.

Obese people may need surgeries related to their weight, such as gallstone removal or hip and knee replacement. About two-thirds of adults in England are above the healthy weight limit, defined as a BMI of 25.

According to the 2019 Health Survey for England, an estimated 12 million people are obese and a further 16 million are overweight.

Sir Stephen Powis, the NHS’s medical director, said: ‘Pharmaceutical treatments offer a new way to help obese people reach a healthier weight and this new pilot will help determine whether these drugs can be used safely and effectively beyond the Hopital. as a series of other interventions that we have.’