Patients "Set Up for Failure" as Mounjaro Rollout Lags in England

In June 2025, the weight loss drug Mounjaro, dubbed the "King Kong" of obesity treatments, was expected to become widely available through the National Health Service (NHS) in England. However, the rollout has faced significant obstacles, leaving many patients disappointed and unsupported.

According to data obtained by Sky News, just 8 out of 42 NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in England were able to provide Mounjaro treatment to patients as of August 2025. Many other ICBs were reportedly unable to confirm when the treatment would be accessible.

Experts have criticized the situation, with Dr. Jonathan Hazlehurst, an endocrinologist and obesity physician at University Hospitals Birmingham, stating that patients have been "set up for failure" and treated unfairly. He argues that "giving people open promises and setting them up for disappointment and failure is clearly grossly unfair."

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) had previously calculated that there were 97,500 patients who should be treated with Mounjaro in the first year. However, Dr. Hazlehurst claims that NHS England has only provided funding for just over 22,000 patients, a fraction of the estimated need.

NICE has emphasized the importance of providing "structured advice and follow-up support" to patients coming off weight-loss treatments like Mounjaro to mitigate the risk of weight regain. This guidance applies to individuals receiving the treatment through the NHS. However, an estimated 1.5 million people in the UK are currently using weight-loss injections, with the vast majority paying privately, and they will not be eligible for NHS support once their treatment concludes.