Cliff Notes
- Eli Lilly has announced a significant price increase for the weight loss drug Mounjaro in the UK, raising costs by up to 170% from £122 to £330 per month.
- The new pricing structure will not impact NHS prescriptions, as Lilly has a separate agreement with the health service to maintain availability.
- The US drugmaker stated the price adjustments align UK costs more closely with those in other European markets, amid pressures from the US administration to lower domestic drug prices.
Mounjaro manufacturer to hike UK price of weight loss drug by up to 170% | UK News
The UK cost of weight loss drug Mounjaro will increase by up to 170%, its US manufacturer has said, as the White House pushes for a price hike abroad so costs can be cut for Americans.
The new price, announced by manufacturer Eli Lilly on Thursday, also applies to Lilly’s type 2 diabetes medicine that has the same name.
The price for a month’s supply of the highest dose of the medicine will increase from £122 to £330, Lilly said, adding the adjustment will be made next month.
The higher price will not affect those prescribed the medicine through the NHS, which has a separate deal, a Lilly spokesperson said.
The US drugmaker said that when it launched Mounjaro in the UK it agreed to a list price “significantly below” that in its three other European markets to prevent delays in availability through the NHS.
“We are now aligning the list price more consistently,” Lilly said.
Lilly did not say what price it has agreed with the NHS, but said it was working with private UK healthcare providers who can set their own prices, such as online pharmacies, to ensure the medicines remain available.
It follows news from earlier this month revealing only eight of 42 NHS Integrated Care Boards in England were providing the weight loss treatment to patients, and many of the rest were unable to guarantee when it would be available.
