Eli Lilly is increasing the UK price of its weight-loss drug Mounjaro
Eli Lilly is set to significantly hike the UK price of its weight-loss and diabetes medication Mounjaro, with some dosages expected to see a staggering 170 percent increase starting from September.
The pharmaceutical giant has justified the price surge as an effort to “address pricing inconsistencies compared with other developed countries, including in Europe” and to ensure equitable global contributions towards funding medical research.
The sharpest rise will affect the month’s supply of the drug’s highest doses, which will soar from £122 to £330. Smaller doses will experience increases ranging from 45 to 138 percent. It comes after a man, 30, puts shoulder pain down to gym aches, then doctors ask where he’d like to die.
Despite these changes, Lilly has assured that the NHS will not be affected by the new list prices, pledging to maintain the current rates to preserve uninterrupted patient access.
Private healthcare providers, who also offer the medication, will face the new prices but have the option to negotiate confidential discounts directly with Eli Lilly.
READ MORE: Man thought neighbour was poisoning him after taking medical advice from ChatGPTREAD MORE: Dad tragically died three days after his wedding from ‘old man’s disease’
This development occurs amidst political debates in the US, where ex-president Donald Trump has lambasted what he deems “foreign freeloaders” for enjoying lower pharmaceutical costs while Americans bear much higher expenses. In one address, he highlighted obesity treatments, recounting how a friend in London acquired the “fat shot drug” at a fraction of the US cost, reports the Daily Record.
Research from the Rand Corporation indicates that drug prices in the US are typically almost triple those in several other advanced nations.
The pharmaceutical sector has been mobilising to combat the potential danger of a “most favoured nation” strategy, which could tie American pricing to international rates.
Lilly highlighted that the UK was amongst the earliest markets to receive Mounjaro and emphasised that its initial focus had been on delivering the medication to diabetic patients swiftly.
“At launch, Lilly agreed to a UK list price that is significantly below the European average to prevent delays in NHS availability.With changes in the environment and new clinical evidence supporting the value of Mounjaro, we are now aligning the list price more consistently to ensure fair global contributions to the cost of innovation,” the firm stated.
Talks between pharmaceutical companies and the UK Government regarding NHS drug costs have grown increasingly fraught, with deliberations about modifications to a clawback levy on pharmaceutical sales extending well beyond agreed timelines.
The Government’s latest proposals featured plans to increase spending on medications, though industry chiefs voiced exasperation over the absence of specifics or clarity regarding whether this would involve purchasing additional medicines or paying elevated prices for current treatments.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has endorsed Mounjaro for as many as 3.4 million individuals across England.
Nevertheless, worries about cost-effectiveness resulted in an arrangement for a staged introduction, beginning with approximately 250,000 patients presenting the most urgent clinical requirements during the initial three years. NHS England has assured that the forthcoming price alterations will not impact the provision of the medication to qualified patients suffering from obesity or diabetes.
“Mounjaro is a cost-effective and valuable tool to support people to reach a healthier weight and the wider health and lifestyle benefits that offers,” NHS England stated.
The adjustments bring the UK’s pricing more in line with the European mean, occurring amidst a period when drug manufacturers are acutely aware of how varying international prices might influence upcoming policy choices in the US.