A new obesity-fighting blow could be given to unemployed people to help them “get back to work”, Wes Streeting has suggested.
The health secretary believes the latest generation of weight loss drugs could have a “monumental” impact on obesity in the UK and ease the financial burden on the NHS and the economy.
Speaking in the Telegraph, the minister claimed the Ozempic or Mounjaro jabs could play a major role in increasing productivity as weight-related illnesses cost the economy £74bn a year.
The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology will work with industry to establish how the jabs could reduce demand for healthcare and get people back to work.
It comes as doctors prepare for the mass rollout of weight-loss vaccines on the NHS and following widespread reports of global shortages.
Obesity vaccines will be tested and manufactured in the UK under the government’s plans to bolster NHS supplies and tackle the country’s bulging waistlines.
Wes Streeting (pictured) believes the latest generation of weight loss drugs could have a “monumental” impact on obesity in the UK.
The NHS-backed OpenPrescribing data source shows soaring prescriptions for semaglutide, the drug in Ozempic and Wegovy.
Mr Streeting wrote: “Our widening belts are also placing a significant burden on our health service, costing the NHS £11 billion a year – even more than smoking. And it is holding back our economy.
“Illnesses caused by obesity cause people to take an average of four more sick days a year, while many others are forced out of work.”
On Monday, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, which makes the weight-loss drug Mounjaro, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government, in which they will work together to improve care for people living with obesity.
The deal, announced at the International Investment Summit in London, will involve the testing and development of new weight-loss jabs and smartphone apps and moves to create a manufacturing base in the UK.
In a five-year study, Eli Lilly will also evaluate Mounjaro’s effectiveness in the real world, in collaboration with the University of Manchester.
It will specifically quantify the drug’s long-term effects on obesity, diabetes incidence, and weight-related complications, as well as its impacts on employment, sick days, and quality of life.
The evidence generated will help inform how the NHS treats obesity, the Government said.
Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, is very effective, but it can also cause some serious side effects.
Previous studies have shown that Mounjaro, described as the “King Kong” of fat-busting hits, can help people lose up to 26 percent of their body weight in a year and a half.
Two in three Britons are classed as overweight or obese and NHS figures show people now weigh around a stone than they did more than 30 years ago.
Science and technology secretary Peter Kyle told the Daily Mail: “This is the start of a partnership that aims to put the UK in pole position as a global testbed for the development and testing of obesity drugs. a huge market that could be multiplied by five”. globally by 2030.
“It sets the stage for a trial with UK patients to better understand the long-term health and economic benefits of these drugs, and envisages Eli Lilly establishing its first European biotech center on these shores, and I hope future talks will lead Expect obesity drugs to roll off UK production lines in the near future.
‘The financial benefits of working with a company like this are obvious, but even more profound when you delve deeper into them.
‘For the NHS, which faces a bill of more than £11 billion a year caused by obesity-related illnesses.
‘And for people who cannot fully participate in work due to health problems related to their weight.
“And for our wider society, which currently weighs £74bn in obesity-related costs caused by poor health and lost productivity combined.”
A five-year study will also allow Eli Lilly to evaluate Mounjaro’s effectiveness in the real world, in collaboration with the University of Manchester.
Deaths in the United States linked to semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, and tirzepatide, found in Mounjaro and Zepbound. Yellow is used for 2024 because the data is incomplete.
Eli Lilly expects to make a further £279 million in new investments in the UK, bringing Lilly’s total expected domestic investment in the UK to £435 million.
The company said: “The UK government and Lilly will work together to explore future investment opportunities in the UK, which may include potential investments in manufacturing sites or collaborations with UK venture capital funds and academic institutions.”
David A. Ricks, president and CEO of Eli Lilly, added: “We welcome this opportunity to partner with the UK government to address and prevent disease and accelerate innovation to advance care delivery models.”
“Today’s announcement is an important milestone and we are pleased to reinforce Lilly’s commitment to improving the health of people living with obesity and its serious consequences.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Partnerships like this are key to building a healthier society and economy and making the NHS fit for the future.”
Obesity is the second most common cause of preventable death after smoking and costs the health service £11.4 billion a year.
The NHS is preparing for a mass rollout of weight-loss vaccines to 1.6 million patients.
They will go to the most serious and sick first, the Government said last month.
Draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends Mounjaro injections for people with a BMI of at least 35, as well as for weight-related health problems.
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, said: “Obesity is one of the biggest public health problems we face, and we know that weight loss drugs will be a game-changer, alongside previous prevention strategies, to help many more people lose weight. and reduce the risk of deadly diseases such as diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.
‘Today’s landmark agreement shows that the NHS is exceptionally well positioned globally not only to deliver effective new treatments to those who would benefit most, but also to support science, research, jobs and economic growth across the country. .
“We now have an important opportunity to better understand the benefits of weight management interventions for patients and how best to implement them in the coming years.”