Jump to: What is Mounjaro? | How do you qualify for a Mounjaro prescription? | How much does Mounjaro cost? | Does Mounjaro have side effects?
Mounjaro is available on the NHS for people living with type 2 diabetes and obesity. However, a recent NICE announcement has confirmed that Mounjaro will only be available for 250,000 people living with obesity over the next three years.
NICE will review the drug’s impact and cost-effectiveness after three years to determine the next steps and whether more will become available.
On the NHS, Mounjaro (the drug in Mounjaro is tirzepatide) is only available for people with a BMI over 35, and those defined as having the “greatest clinical lead.”
So, if you want to get tirzepatide but aren’t eligible via the NHS, you may need to purchase it privately. You can buy Mounjaro as part of Second Nature’s Mounjaro weight-loss programme.
What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is a dual-function medication for individuals living with type 2 diabetes and obesity. The drug in Moinjaro is tirzepatide.
Tirzepatide is manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lily and sold under the brand name Mounjaro in the UK or Zepbound for obesity in the U.S.
Tirzepatide mimics two hormones in the body: GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).
When we eat food, our gut releases a hormone that helps the body regulate hunger and blood sugar levels. This hormone is called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1).
The actions of GLP-1 are the target of Mounjaro and other medications like Wegovy, Saxenda, and Ozempic.
This class of medications are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s). They mimic the actions of the hormone GLP-1 to activate the GLP-1 receptors.
GLP-1s improve insulin function to lower blood sugar levels and delay gastric emptying, decreasing appetite. GLP-1s also communicate with the brain’s appetite control centre, the hypothalamus, to reduce food-seeking behaviour.
Separate from GLP-1, the other hormone that Mounjaro mimics is called GIP.
GIP is a hormone released in response to food that helps regulate blood sugar levels and helps our fat cells ‘absorb’ more excess energy, preventing fat from being stored in the liver or pancreas.
GIP also has receptors in the brain, similar to GLP-1, and scientists believe it’s also involved in regulating appetite.
The medications that mimic GIP are known as GIP mimetics. These additional actions are the target of Mounjaro.
So, tirzepatide has a dual function that mimics two hormones in the body that support blood glucose levels and weight loss.
How do you qualify for Mounjaro on the NHS?
To qualify for a Mounjaro prescription on the NHS, here are the eligibility criteria confirmed by NICE for people living with type 2 diabetes:
- Triple therapy with metformin and two other oral antidiabetic drugs is ineffective, not tolerated or contraindicated, and
- they have a body mass index (BMI) of 35 kg/m2 or more and specific psychological or other medical problems associated with obesity,
- or they have a BMI of less than 35 kg/m2, and:
- insulin therapy would have significant occupational implications, or
- weight loss would benefit other significant obesity-related complications.
Lower BMI thresholds (usually reduced by 2.5 kg/m2) apply for people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean family backgrounds.
To qualify for a Mounjaro prescription on the NHS if you’re living with obesity, here are the prescription requirements outlined by NICE:
- BMI of 30kg/m² or more (obesity),
- as well as those with a BMI between 27-30kg/m² (overweight) who also have weight-related health problems such as prediabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart problems.
- You’ll need to meet additional eligibility criteria that we can’t outline in this article.
How much does Mounjaro cost?
To purchase a prescription for Mounjaro via the NHS in England, you’ll only need to pay the base fee for a prescription of £9.95.
To purchase Mounjaro privately via Second Nature as part of our Mounjaro weight-loss programme, starts from £229 per month.
Does Mounjaro have side effects?
All medications have potential side effects, and Mounjaro is no different. The most common side effects of Mounjaro are nausea, constipation, vomiting, and other symptoms affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, like diarrhoea.
You might also experience less common side effects like tiredness or headaches.
These symptoms most commonly occur around the time of the injection, during dose escalation, and are typically transient and will ease after you’ve adapted to the medication.
However, everyone responds differently to these medications; some people won’t experience any side effects, while others will have to discontinue their medication due to the discomfort the side effects cause.
Not a magic pill
Weight-loss injections are most effective when combined with a healthier lifestyle. They can help kickstart weight loss while you commit to developing healthier habits.
Mounjaro and other weight loss injections, like Ozempic and Wegovy, can allow you to make lifestyle changes to support long-term weight loss.
These medications can help silence food-related thoughts and give you a boost of confidence with more immediate weight-loss results.
They can also buy you the time and headspace to understand why your body may have struggled to lose weight and build new long-term healthy habits.
The core focus of our medication programmes is to calm down the feeling of food noise, lower your cravings, and allow you to build healthier habits to keep the weight off for good.
The ultimate goal is to make losing weight feel second nature.
Second Nature’s medication programme
Second Nature currently provides Mounjaro as part of our Mounjaro weight-loss programme.
Why should you choose Second Nature over other medication providers if you’ve decided to try Mounjaro (assuming you’re eligible)?
For peace of mind.
Second Nature has worked with the NHS for over 6 years providing weight-loss programmes across the UK.
While our Mounjaro weight-loss programme is private and not currently used by the NHS, we’ve built the programmes focusing on scientific evidence, patient safety, and data security.
We hope that our 6+ years of working with the NHS and building a track record of effective weight-loss results will give you peace of mind to give us a try.
Please note: We generally recommend speaking with your GP/doctor before you start taking any new medication like Mounjaro. If you do sign up for Second Nature's Mounjaro programme, then we'll also send your GP a letter to let them know you've started a medication-supported weight-loss journey.
