Weight-Loss Jabs Could Usher In Golden Age of Medicine In UK

Weight-loss jabs could usher in golden age of medicine in the UK

What Happened 

Weight-loss jabs — known as GLP-1 receptor agonists — could transform healthcare far beyond obesity treatment, according to leading doctors and a major new study.

Already available on the NHS for adults with a high BMI, these drugs reduce appetite and food cravings. But recent trials show their benefits stretch far wider, potentially ushering in what experts are calling a “golden era” of medicine.

A recent clinical trial involving 17,000 participants found that the jabs halved the risk of heart attacks and strokes and appeared to protect the heart almost immediately.

Professor John Deanfield, a cardiologist at University College London, told The Times that the drugs improve outcomes in a range of serious illnesses and could dramatically extend lifespans.

“These are not just weight-loss drugs,” he said. “They affect the biology of ageing itself. We’re seeing benefits for heart disease, liver and kidney conditions, cancer, mental health, and potentially even dementia.”

He added that “many, many millions” of people should ultimately be offered the medication — not just those who are overweight.

What Next

Currently, access to GLP-1 drugs on the NHS is limited to people with obesity, but that could soon change as evidence mounts for their broader benefits.

Professor Deanfield said that if the jabs are recognised as treatments for heart disease and other chronic illnesses, far more people could become eligible — even those with a healthy weight.

Pharmaceutical company Lilly, which produces Mounjaro (one of the new weight-loss drugs), has urged ministers to speed up access and consider the wider economic and preventative potential of the treatment.

A spokesperson warned that the slow rollout risks deepening health inequalities, especially since obesity rates are higher in more deprived communities.

They added: “The NHS’s ten-year plan is a chance to shift the focus from treatment to prevention. But access delays could hold back progress on major conditions.”

Ongoing trials are now examining whether GLP-1 drugs can help with cognitive decline, raising hopes they could play a role in delaying dementia and age-related disease more generally.

If the results continue to be positive, these medications may soon become central to how Britain tackles ageing and chronic illness, not just weight.

Media Reaction

The Times highlights the report’s conclusion that weight loss drugs could help people live longer. The paper says the research suggests drugs such as Wegovy could delay age-related illnesses and halve heart attack deaths, even in those who are not obese.

The Daily Telegraph reports most Britons could use the jabs to live longer according to a medic. The paper notes that experts hailed a “golden age” in obesity treatment thanks to drugs which have been found to halve deaths from killer diseases. Around 150 new treatments – including jabs and pills – could be available over the next 10 years to help people not deemed “overweight or obese.”

The Daily Mail says a new pill “that mimics the effects of a gastric bypass” has been touted as the latest “weight loss miracle” and research suggests it may end up being more effective than “fat jabs” in the long term.