New drug trial to tackle obesity and reduce NHS waiting list

• The two-year pilot, with up to £40m in funding, will explore ways to make obesity medicines available to obese patients outside hospitals
• Modern weight loss drugs, when prescribed alongside diet, physical activity and behavioral support, can help obese adults lose up to 15% of their weight.
• The pilot builds on government efforts to tackle obesity, reduce pressure on the NHS and reduce waiting lists

Giving more people living with obesity access to the latest and most effective obesity medicines to help reduce the NHS waiting list, following today’s announcement of a £40m two-year trial plan Become. [Wednesday 7 June].

Earlier this year, the National Institute for Health Research and Evaluation (NICE) recommended the use of semaglutide (Wegovy) for adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 35 and one weight-related health condition, such as diabetes or being overweight. ) was recommended. blood pressure. Other drugs are currently in clinical trials.

There is evidence from clinical trials that people taking weight loss medications can lose up to 15 percent of their body weight after one year when prescribed alongside diet, physical activity and behavioral support. Taking these alongside diet, physical activity, and behavioral support can help her lose weight within her first month after treatment.

Obesity is one of the leading causes of serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, costing the NHS £6.5 billion a year. Over 1 million people were admitted to NHS hospitals due to obesity in 2019-2020.

Tackling obesity with the latest treatments will help reduce the number of people suffering from weight-related illnesses and reduce waiting lists. They tend to need more support from the NHS and may need weight-related surgeries such as gallstones. Resection or hip and knee replacement.

NICE advises Wegovy should only be available through specialized weight management services, primarily hospital-based. This means that only about 35,000 people can access Wegovy, even though tens of thousands more could qualify.

The £40m experiment will explore how to make approved medicines safer and more accessible to more people by expanding specialized weight management services outside hospitals. This includes consideration of how GPs can safely prescribe these drugs and how the NHS can provide support locally or digitally. This contributes to the government’s broader goal of reducing the burden on hospitals and allowing people to access the care they need where it is most convenient. they.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

Obesity puts a lot of pressure on the NHS.

Using modern medicines to help people lose weight can help tackle dangerous obesity-related health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and cancer, reduce the burden on hospitals and help people live healthier lives. Helping them live longer in life can make all the difference. And it helped me achieve my priority of reducing the NHS wait list.

Health and Social Security Secretary Steve Berkley said:

Obesity costs the NHS about £6.5 billion a year and is the second leading cause of cancer.

This next-generation obesity drug has the potential to help people lose significant weight when prescribed along with exercise, diet and behavioral support.

Tackling obesity will help reduce pressure on the NHS and reduce wait times, one of the government’s five priorities, and this pilot will help people live longer and healthier.

Health Minister Neil O’Brien said:

We know that obesity puts additional pressure on the NHS and is linked to many health problems, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Expanding access to these innovative new medicines will ensure that as many eligible patients as possible have the opportunity to try these therapies, if appropriate, to achieve a healthier weight. will be

These pilot efforts include introducing calorie labeling on menus to help people make informed decisions and investing in school sports to give children a positive start in life. and more builds on our ongoing commitment to tackling obesity.

NHS Medical Director Professor Stephen Powis said:

Tackling obesity is an important part of the NHS long term plan as obesity has a devastating impact on public health and can lead to serious health conditions and some common cancers. It could put significant pressure on NHS services.

Drug treatments offer new ways to help obese patients gain a healthier weight, and this new trial demonstrates how these drugs can be used in non-hospital settings as well as in the various other interventions we are conducting. Helps determine if it is safe and effective to use.

NICE also announced another drug known as tilzepatide, which is currently approved to treat diabetes but may also help with weight loss, if it gets approval as a weight-loss drug in the next few months. , are also considering the possibility of using it on the NHS.

NHS England has already made this new kind of treatment available to patients through established specialist weight management services, subject to negotiations on a safe long-term supply of the product at a price that is commensurate with taxpayer value. We are committed to implementing NICE recommendations to

Losing weight can help reduce the risk of obesity-related illnesses, which in turn can reduce strain on the NHS, reduce waiting times and realize broader economic benefits.

This pilot builds on the decisive actions already taken by governments to tackle the obesity problem:

• Introducing calorie labeling on menus is expected to deliver £4.6 billion in health benefits and save the NHS £430 million.
• Restricting the placement of unhealthy food in stores is expected to deliver more than £57 billion in health benefits over the next 25 years, saving the NHS more than £4 billion.
• The introduction of the soft drink industry tax has reduced the average sugar content of beverages by 46% between 2015 and 2020.
• Investment to revitalize school sports We help children and young people get a positive start in life.

last year The government announced £20 million For the Obesity Mission of the Life Sciences Administration. It will explore innovative ways to make the most of promising medicines and digital technologies to help NHS patients achieve a healthy weight.

Better Health: Rewards App Also being tested at Wolverhampton. We offer incentives such as shop coupons, gym discounts, and movie tickets to people who eat healthier and exercise more.

The 2019 England Health Survey estimates that more than 12 million adults, representing 28 per cent of the UK population, are living with obesity, and a further 16 million (36 per cent) are overweight. This means that about two-thirds of the adult population was over a healthy weight, defined as a BMI of 25 or higher.

In May, DHSC launched a call for evidence to inform key condition strategies, including further efforts to combat obesity.