Most patients in London who take weight loss drugs do so privately, with the slow rollout meaning that only a fraction of eligible patients have access to the drug on the NHS.
The findings come from a report by the London Assembly’s health committee, which found a “two-tier system” of access to weight-loss drugs is developing in the UK capital. By November 2025, only 3,000 Londoners had access to weight loss medication on the NHS. This is a significant gap to the forecast of 35,000 to 40,000 by 2028. Instead, tens of thousands of patients are estimated to be taking obesity medications privately, due to low affordability.
B2B marketing that does
Combine business intelligence and editorial talent to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Get more information
Exact usage figures vary, but estimates published by Novo Nordisk – makers of Vigovi (semaglutide), a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) – suggest that up to two million people in the UK use the weight-loss drug. Their use improves their effectiveness in the treatment of obesity.
In an essay to the report, health committee chair Emma Best said: “[Weight loss drugs] Represents a great new tool in the fight against obesity, and often gives people the confidence or the first step they need to change their lives for the better. However, these drugs are not silver bullets and access is not always simple.
Currently, patients seeking GLP-1RAs such as Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide) – the most widely prescribed in the UK – on the NHS must have a body mass index (BMI) above 40 kg/m² and four or more obesity-related comorbidities. The Assembly report, however, suggests that the NHS is still in the early stages of weight loss medicine, with pilot sites and specialist weight management services being the primary channels for access. Patients can also choose their preferred NHS service provider – some patients in London have access to this type of medicine.
Under current eligibility criteria, NICE estimates that 220,000 people will receive Mounjaro on the NHS nationally by 2028. Given that a large proportion of patients will continue to have access to drugs like Monjaro through the private sector, the London Health Committee said some rules should be put in place to avoid unequal health outcomes.
These include speeding up weight loss medicines on the NHS, more ‘undercover’ care, a review of the link between weight loss medicines and eating disorders, and patient advice. Importantly, the committee recommends that a London-wide clinical pathway for weight loss medicines be established by the end of 2026-27, with a dedicated task force to mediate work between government, health agencies, and pharmaceutical organisations.
Updates to the UK’s primary care general practitioner (GP) contract for 2026-27 already provided bonus payments for Monjaro injections and support for referrals to weight loss services. Janet Bell, health economics and market access management analyst, Europe/CIS at Global Data, said the new incentive payments “may help address recent reports of local restrictions on the availability of these medicines for more eligible patients”.
Sign up for our daily newsletter!
Grow your business with our leading industry insights.
#London #patients #private #access #weight #loss #medication #Pharmaceutical #Technology