Northampton pharmacist says not to worry about Mounjaro demand surge
He responded to the National Pharmacy Association's prediction that demand could outstrip supply
A Northampton-based pharmacist has said the UK need not worry about the recent surge in demand for weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Wegovy on the NHS. This comes after the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said that demand for those weight loss drugs had become "unsustainable", which NPA said could drive people to unreliable online sources.
But Akshay Patel, community pharmacist and superintendent pharmacist at Regent Pharmacy in Northampton said the NHS has dealt successfully with surges in demand for the drug before.
Patel said: "We've seen quite a steep change over the last few months, from what started as a few patients, to hundreds now.
"I wouldn't see it being a problem we can't manage if and when that arrives."
The number of people in the UK using weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro has risen to more than a million, according to The Guardian.
The NPA said that if demand became too great, the drugs might need to be reserved for those most in need instead of the "worried well".
But Patel said most people who pick up prescriptions are genuinely in need of the drug.
He said: "You're always gonna get people who are more concerned with the aesthetic side.
"But there's obviously a clinical benefit to be had.
"There's a huge impact on the NHS when we think about monitoring cardiovascular risks and type 2 diabetes."
Patel also emphasised that the weight-loss drugs are not a cure-all, and that they're not designed for patients to be on them for life.
Patel said: "There's a whole sort of wrap-around care that goes along with the injections.
"The injection is just an aid which starts you on your journey."