What we know about weight loss jabs for unemployed Brits
Health secretary Wes Streeting has said weight loss injections could be rolled out to unemployed people in Britain living with obesity, to help them get back to work.
Writing in The Telegraph, Streeting said "widening waistbands" are costing the NHS £11 billion a year on top of "holding back our economy".
"Illness caused by obesity causes people to take an extra four sick days a year on average, while many others are forced out of work altogether," he said.
Weight loss jabs such as Wegovy and Saxenda, which contain semaglutide and liraglutide respectively, are available via prescription on the NHS for people who meet the eligibility criteria.
However, Streeting’s suggestion comes as the government announced a £279 million investment from Lilly, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company.
The investment will involve "exploring new ways of delivering health and care services to people living with obesity", as well as a five-year study on whether weight loss jabs will reduce unemployment.
Here’s everything we know about the plans.
Why are weight loss jabs being considered for unemployed people?
Government data from 2022 to 2023 shows that 64% of adults aged 18 and over in England were estimated to be overweight or living with obesity.
A landmark study published earlier this year found that employees living with obesity are up to two times as likely as those at a healthy weight to take time off sick.
The study’s authors pointed to health issues related to obesity such as back pain, arthritis or heart disease that stop people from going to work. They added that the illnesses cause people to be "increasingly excluded from contributing to society".
According to the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), obesity is a "major contributor to ill health that prevents people from participating fully in work".
By giving weight loss jabs to people living with obesity who are not in full-time work, Streeting hopes to get them closer to a healthy weight in order to increase productivity and lower unemployment.
"The long-term benefits of these drugs could be monumental in our approach to tackling obesity," he wrote. "For many people, these weight loss jabs will be life-changing, help them get back to work, and ease the demands on our NHS."
Who is eligible for weight loss jabs now?
Currently, the NHS does offer weight loss jabs as treatment for obesity. However, patients must meet eligibility criteria in order to be prescribed the drugs.
Saxenda, which contains liraglutide, is available to adults aged up to 75, but is not recommended if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have certain health conditions.
In order to be eligible for Saxenda, you must:
Have a BMI of 35 or more
Have a BMI of 32.5 or more and you’re of Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African, or African-Caribbean origin
Have non-diabetic hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar)
Be at high risk of heart problems such as heart attacks and strokes
Meanwhile, Wegovy, which contains semaglutide, is only prescribed if you have health problems because of your weight.
In order to be eligible for Wegovy, you must:
Have a BMI of 35 or more
Have a BMI of 32.5 or more if you’re of Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African, or African-Caribbean origin
Have a BMI of 30 to 34.9, or 27.5 to 32.4 if you’re of Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African, or African-Caribbean origin, and you meet other criteria to be treated by a specialist weight management service
What does the government’s collaboration with Lilly entail?
As part of a collaborative partnership with the UK government, Lilly, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, will invest £279 million in the life sciences sector.
It will involve real-world trials to examine how treating obesity "as a rounded package of care" can help improve the lives of Britons and get them back into work.
A study by Health Innovation Manchester aims to examine how weight loss drugs can impact joblessness and NHS service use. Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, said the "results of the trial announced today could have a far-reaching impact on how we treat obesity globally".
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard added that the announcement "shows the NHS is uniquely well-placed globally, not just to bring effective new treatments to those who would benefit most, but also to support science, research, jobs and economic growth across the country".
"We now have an important chance to gain a better understanding of the benefits of weight management interventions for patients, and how best to deliver them over the next few years."
When will weight loss jobs start being rolled out to the unemployed?
The government has not announced any date for when real-world trials involving weight loss jabs for the unemployed might begin.
According to The Telegraph, up to 3,000 people living with obesity, both in and out of work, and on sickness leave, will be recruited for the five-year study.
Patients will receive Mounjaro, the weight loss drug made by Lilly, which contains tirzepatide.
Mounjaro is not yet available as a weight loss medication within the NHS, but there are plans to roll it out during the first three years to people with a BMI of more than 40 - categorised as severe obesity - and at least three weight-related health problems.
Earlier this month, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) announced a consultation will begin following an application from NHS England about a phased launch of Mounjaro.
Watch: Are the weight loss jabs soon to be available in pharmacies helpful or harmful?
Read more about weight loss:
People urged to stop getting Ozempic from 'faceless' illegitimate sources (Yahoo Life UK, 8-min read)
'I lost 1.5st with weight loss jab – one thing in particular blew my mind' (WalesOnline, 4-min read)
Don't use Ozempic or Wegovy for 'Instagram perfect body', says health secretary (Sky News, 2-min read)
