Wales takes cautious first step in rollout of Mounjaro

ONLY HIGHER-RISK PATIENTS WILL GET IT FOR NOW

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor

WEIGHT-LOSS drug tirzepatide, sold commercially as Mounjaro, is to be made more widely available on the NHS in Wales.

However the initial roll-out will be limited to specific groups of people because NHS Wales is not ready for the huge demand. It means that, for now, GPs will continue to be blocked from prescribing new weight-loss drugs.

Around 186,000 people in Wales are estimated to be eligible for tirzepatide alone, which has been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for managing obesity.

Until now, weight loss medication was only available on the NHS through specialist weight management services.

The Welsh Government has now shifted the focus to high-risk patients with an urgent need to lose weight for specific medical reasons.