Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to undertake a review of guidance on the prescription of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists to patients with type 2 diabetes.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for providing evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service in England, in line with its established methods and processes.

NICE’s guideline on the management of type 2 diabetes in adults states that if triple therapy with metformin and 2 other oral drugs is not effective, not tolerated or contraindicated, switching one drug for a glucagon-like peptide 1 agonist should be considered for people who meet the specified criteria.

NICE is currently updating the drug treatment section of this guideline, which it expects to publish in December 2024. NICE also published final draft guidance on 8 September 2023 which recommends tirzepatide for treating type 2 diabetes alongside diet and exercise in adults who meet the specified criteria. Final guidance on tirzepatide is expected in October 2023.