Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is dramatically raising the UK price of its popular weight-loss and diabetes drug tirzepatide, more commonly known as Mounjaro, with the cost of some doses set to soar by as much as 170 per cent from September. The company said the move is designed to “address pricing inconsistencies compared with other developed countries, including in Europe” and ensure a fairer global contribution to funding medical research and development.
The most significant increase will see the month’s supply of the highest doses of the medication leap from £122 to £330. Lower doses will climb by between 45 and 138 per cent.
Nevertheless, the pharmaceutical company emphasised that the new list prices will not apply to the NHS, with the company continuing to supply the health service at the existing rate to avoid disrupting patient access. Private healthcare providers, who also prescribe the medication, will face the increase but can negotiate discounts with the company in private.
Why is the price going up?
The decision comes amid political pressure from the United States, where former president Donald Trump has attacked what he calls “foreign freeloaders” benefiting from lower drug prices abroad whilst Americans pay substantially more. In a speech, he highlighted obesity treatments, saying a friend in London had bought the “fat shot drug” for far less than in the US, reports the Daily Record.
Research by the Rand Corporation suggests that US drug prices are, on average, almost three times higher than those in many other advanced economies. The pharmaceutical industry has been working to counter the potential threat of a “most favoured nation” policy, which could peg American prices to those charged internationally.
Lilly noted that the UK was one of the first markets where it launched Mounjaro and said its initial priority had been to get the medicine to diabetes patients quickly.
The company said: “At launch, Lilly agreed to a UK list price that is significantly below the European average to prevent delays in NHS availability. With changes in the environment and new clinical evidence supporting the value of Mounjaro, we are now aligning the list price more consistently to ensure fair global contributions to the cost of innovation.”
Negotiations between pharmaceutical manufacturers and the UK Government over the costs of NHS medicines haven’t been easy, with conversations around changes to a ‘clawback tax’ on drug sales surpassing agreed deadlines.
Recently, the government’s proposals included plans to spend more on medicines, but industry leaders were quick to point out the lack of detail or clarity on whether this would mean buying more medicines or paying higher prices for existing ones.
Who is eligible for a weight loss prescription?
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Mounjaro for up to 3.4 million people in England.
According to the NHS website, NICE has recommended Mounjaro for adults living with obesity who meet certain criteria such as weight-related health problems, including:
- dyslipidaemia (abnormal fat levels in the blood)
- hypertension (high blood pressure)
- obstructive sleep apnoea (when your breathing stops and starts while you sleep)
- cardiovascular disease (heart and blood vessel disease)
- type 2 diabetes
- mellitus
In order to get Mounjaro on the NHS, it must be prescribed by a specialist weight management service, where a healthcare professional decides it is the right treatment.
Concerns over affordability led to an agreement for a phased rollout of the drug, starting with around 250,000 patients who have the highest clinical need over the first three years.
NHS England has confirmed that the impending price alterations will not impact how it provides the drug to eligible patients with obesity or diabetes. In a statement, NHS England said: “Mounjaro is a cost-effective and valuable tool to support people to reach a healthier weight and the wider health and lifestyle benefits that offers.”
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