Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the roll-out speed of the new weight loss jab Mounjaro.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published final draft guidance that recommends tirzepatide to treat obesity, alongside a reduced calorie-diet and increased physical activity, in adults with a body mass index of 35 or over and at least one weight-related comorbidity. It is estimated that approximately 3.4 million people could meet the criteria in the NICE guidance, although not everyone will want this treatment.

Due to the size of the eligible population in England, the roll out of tirzepatide must be carefully managed to ensure that access to other National Health Services is protected. Based on the request from NHS England to extend the statutory three-month period for the funding of NICE-recommended medicines, the NICE agreed to a variation of the funding period at a maximum of 12 years. This will allow the NHS to build the knowledge, skills, and capacity so that the treatment can be offered to the full eligible population at the end of the funding period.

The NICE expects that approximately 220,000 patients will be considered for tirzepatide treatment, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, over the first three years. NHS England is working out how best to prioritise access to the treatment over these three years, and will be publishing a clinical commissioning statement early in 2025 to support the integrated care boards with commissioning these services.

New community-based services and digital technologies will be developed, tested, and evaluated in this time, to help learn how the treatment can be best offered safely and effectively to the eligible population in primary care and other settings. This will inform a review by the NICE, which will use the insights identified in the first three years to inform the subsequent roll out period.

Some individuals may prefer alternative services to help them to manage their weight. This could include digital tools, like the NHS Weight Loss Plan App, behavioural programmes like local authority weight management services and the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme, or other support available through specialist weight management services, such as surgery or other pharmaceutical treatments.