NHS: Anti-obesity Medication

Lord McColl of Dulwich Excerpts

Monday 18th November 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Cryer (Lab)]

I am very grateful to the noble Lord. Of course, I will always give him the answers that he seeks. He touches on a lot of issues there—his question alone is probably worth a QSD. However, touching on one or two, the whole reason for the existence of NICE is to examine value for money for the taxpayer and effectiveness. Drugs are not approved and licensed simply for the sake of it, and certainly are not doled out by the NHS for the same reason. There is a range of measures in place. The weight-management services, which are available across the country, extend from the most basic end, using an NHS app, through a range of services and across a range of agencies through to surgery and the use of drugs. When he touches on the use of drugs by children, I think what he is talking about is not so much the drugs that are prescribed but children getting access potentially to the online world and getting online drugs that are not prescribed—which is a whole different issue.

[Lord McColl of Dulwich (Con)]

Is the Minister aware of the reported deaths from semaglutide in the UK, according to the Yellow Card advisory service, and is he further aware that there are very many complications from these anti-obesity drugs, including nausea, vomiting, constipation and many other unpleasant symptoms. Is it not time to be rather more cautious before we prescribe these drugs?

[Lord Cryer (Lab)]

I recognise the noble Lord’s distinguished history, and again he touches on a range of issues. I will say just a couple of things. The idea that the drugs are licensed and prescribed in a trivial way is wide of the mark. The process that is overseen by NICE and the MHRA is very rigorous; it is one of the most rigorous processes in the world and it is internationally recognised as such. As for prescribing, of course that is up to the individual physician, GP or hospital service, and I do not believe that, in the vast majority of cases, GPs or other medics would prescribe drugs on the basis of a sort of trivial view of these things. As to the deaths, they are obviously deeply regrettable. I think the noble Lord is touching on a particular recent death that has been in the news, and we all regard that as deeply regrettable, but I do not feel, because it is very recent, that I can comment on it.