Weight loss jab Mounjaro now available on NHS prescription in Tyne & Wear - here's who qualifies
The weight-loss jab Mounjaro is now available from the NHS in Tyne and Wear and the wider North East region - but only if you meet certain criteria.
Mounjaro is a weight loss medicine that makes you feel fuller for longer and therefore less hungry. It comes in the form of an injection which you inject yourself, once a week.
The jab is used to treat type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management.
The medication was previously only available on private prescription, but the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, which oversees healthcare in Tyne and Wear, has issued a post on its social media confirming Mounjaro is now available on the NHS.
In the statement, a spokesperson said: “A new weight loss treatment called Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) will start being used by the NHS. But it won’t be offered in all GP practices or available straight away.
“Only people who meet certain medical conditions will be able to get it. Please be patient while the NHS rolls out this treatment safely and fairly.”
Who is eligible
Mounjaro will only be offered to people who have the highest clinical need, this means those whose health is most affected by obesity and who are likely to benefit the most.
To be considered for this treatment, you must:
- Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more, and
Have at least four of the following health conditions:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol or high fat levels in the blood
- Sleep apnoea (trouble breathing while asleep)
- Heart Disease
- Type 2 Diabetes