Pharmacies warn of unsustainable demand for weight loss medication
Some 21% of people who were interviewed in a NPA-commissioned poll agreed they had attempted to access weight loss treatments in the last year, either online or in person at a pharmacy, rising to 35% of 16 to 34-year-olds.
This is compared to only 7% of those over 55.
There were also 41% who agreed they would opt for weight loss treatments on the NHS if they were made available to them.
This figure rose to 64% among 25 to 34-year-olds, despite many of these patients being unlikely to be clinically eligible.
The NPA says the poll, in which 2,002 people were interviewed, reflects an increasing demand for private and NHS weight loss services.
NPA chairman Olivier Picard said: 'Weight loss jabs are one of the biggest drug innovations this century, but growing demand for weight loss treatment highlights the need to make sure this is appropriate for those who want it.
'It's clear from this polling that many more people are interested in getting weight loss jabs than would actually be suitable for treatment.
'We want to make sure supplies are carefully managed so that those in most clinical need can benefit from weight loss medication.'
Spiralling demand, fuelled partly by social media, could see people being tempted to resort to unregulated online suppliers instead of regulated pharmacies staffed by medical professionals, they fear.
Online suppliers may not be offering weight loss jabs alongside a structured programme aimed at helping them change their behaviour.
Wegovy and Mounjaro are among a number of drugs that are recommended to help tackle obesity on the NHS.
Mounjaro and Wegovy are licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in patients with a BMI of over 30 or between 27 and 30 but with a weight-related co-morbidity. This occurs when an individual who has obesity develops another medical condition due to their weight.
The NHS currently rolls out Mounjaro to patients with a BMI of over 40 and at least four co-morbidities, the NPA says.
The NPA is calling for new regulations to protect patients buying weight loss medication online, so there is a full two-way consultation and all relevant historical medical records are reviewed before the treatment is prescribed.
They are waiting for more details about the role pharmacies could play in the rollout of the NHS weight management programme.
At least 85% of weight loss medication prescriptions were made by pharmacies in April this year, the NPA estimates.
Mr Picard said: 'Pharmacists are experts in medication and many have extensive experience delivering weight loss injections as part of a package of care, including lifestyle advice.
'Pharmacies are well placed to help roll this treatment out on the NHS, and help people make the best use of these powerful medicines.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
10 minutes ago
- Telegraph
NHS chief accuses BMA of ‘extortion'
The head of the NHS attacked the British Medical Association (BMA) for demanding 'extortionate pay' amid a strike row. Sir Jim Mackey, the NHS chief executive, criticised the doctors' union in a message to NHS hospital trust leaders. Junior – now resident – doctors have entered the last of a five-day strike that began on Friday. The BMA has rejected 18 emergency requests by NHS hospitals for striking doctors to cross the picket line and help. Hospitals are able to make emergency requests for help to striking doctors – called 'derogations' – to help stop patients coming to harm, such as in emergency departments and cancer care. However, Sir Jim said that of the 18 rejected requests, the BMA would only support half of these 'if extortionate pay rates were offered to striking doctors'. In a message seen by The Telegraph, he said they had worked to 'overhaul the process for patient safety mitigations' with nine requests approved by Sunday night. But he added: 'Unfortunately, despite all requests being made and verified by senior medics, 18 have been rejected by the BMA, with half of those rejections saying the BMA would support only if extortionate pay rates were offered to striking doctors.' He encouraged NHS bosses to keep putting them forward where they were needed. The exemptions are requested by senior NHS medics in exceptional circumstances to protect patient safety and must be agreed on a case-by-case basis by BMA leaders, including chairman, Dr Tom Dolphin. As of Sunday evening, there had been 47 requests for 125 doctors, according to the BMA. Some are pending or were withdrawn. The resident doctors are demanding a 29 per cent pay rise to return them to 2008 levels of pay. They have been awarded a 28.9 per cent pay rise since Labour came into power, including a 5.4 per cent rise for this financial year. Nurses, who are expected to overwhelmingly vote to reject their 3.6 per cent pay rise, could also ballot to take industrial action later this year. One emergency request rejected by the BMA was for a resident doctor to carry out biopsies on men with suspected prostate cancer at Milton Keynes Hospital. The doctor subsequently volunteered to return to work and was praised by Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, for their 'bravery'. He said it 'ensured these men got the care they deserve'. Of the requests granted by the BMA, one was for a doctor to return to work on a neonatal ward caring for new born babies in Nottingham City Hospital. The BMA said it was launching a separate, related dispute with the Government over 'training bottlenecks'. A survey of 1,053 resident doctors finishing their foundation training found that 52 per cent had not secured a job for next month. After two years of foundation training, resident doctors begin speciality training to become consultants or GPs. The BMA said this year there had been more than 30,000 doctors applying for just 10,000 posts. Dr Ross Nieuwoudt and Dr Melissa Ryan, BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs said:'It's absurd that in a country where the Government says bringing down NHS waiting lists is one of its top priorities, not only is it not prepared to restore doctors' pay, but it also won't provide jobs for doctors ready, willing and capable to progress in their careers. 'Commitments from the Government to address this don't go far enough or are too vague to convince us that they understand the gravity of the situation, so we're making clear that, alongside pay, we are entering a dispute and demanding action so that no UK-trained, capable, doctor is left underemployed in the NHS.' It comes as health workers represented by the trade union, Unite, voted to reject the 3.6 per cent pay award for this financial year. Some 89 per cent rejected the deal, with the union saying it was prepared to take strike action. It represents a range of NHS staff including paramedics, healthcare assistants, and cleaners. Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: 'When it came into power this Government was clear that the NHS was broken. But staff are still leaving in droves and morale is still at an all-time low. The NHS can't be repaired while the Government continues to erode pay and drastically cut NHS budgets.' Health workers in the GMB union have also rejected the pay deal while the Royal College of Nursing is due to announce a ballot of its members this week.
Telegraph
10 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Artist who sued NHS for £3m disability compensation caught dancing
A body paint artist who filed a £3 million NHS compensation claim is facing jail after her disability claims were exposed as 'fraudulent' by a video of her dancing at a festival. Kae Burnell-Chambers, 44, claimed that delayed diagnosis by NHS doctors had led to nerve damage which left her struggling to walk, get out of a car or even dress herself. But a video unveiled at the High Court instead showed the artist posing and strutting whilst painted as a fantasy warrior at a festival in 2019. The video was filmed months before she launched her multimillion pound damages bid over delayed diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome, a condition involving damage to nerves at the end of the spinal cord. She is now facing a potential jail sentence after Judge Jonathan Glasson KC found her guilty of contempt of court as Ms Burnell-Chambers admitted she had 'misrepresented' her symptoms during the claim. Sadie Crapper, barrister for Northern Lincolnshire And Goole NHS Foundation Trust, told the court that after NHS doctors missed early signs of the condition in 2016, Ms Burnell-Chambers, from Lincs launched a bid for damages in 2019. She attended medico-legal appointments complaining of 'a whole array of disabilities,' saying she needed help to dress and to get out of the car - and when she went to see a doctor had 'displayed a laboured gait and used a stick,' the barrister said. However, she went on to drop her claim in 2022 after social media videos and surveillance footage showed that the picture of her disabilities she had been presenting to support her claim was 'fundamentally dishonest,' said Ms Crapper. The barrister said Ms Burnell-Chambers said she was 'significantly disabled' by the delayed diagnosis and could walk 'only with a stick' and required aids such as a 'wheelchair, boot hoist and Motability vehicle'. A core part of the NHS case was based on a series of social media videos that showed her moving 'without any sign of pain'. One particular video from the Kustom Kulture Blast Off in August 2019 'shows her having her body extensively painted and then parading in a show where she walks freely and dances without need for a walking aid,' the barrister said. Ms Crapper said that Ms Burnell-Chambers had 'fraudulently exaggerated her symptoms for the purposes of her clinical negligence claim.' The court heard Ms Burnell-Chambers admitted that her condition varies and her mobility is almost normal on good days, and that she had been exaggerating when she saw the medico legal expert doctor. 'She admitted she had been fundamentally dishonest,' but nevertheless has real 'ongoing disabilities,' her barrister Ben Bradley KC told the court. The judge, giving his ruling, said she had signed an admission that she had 'deceived' the examining doctors 'and deliberately changed my presentation' and that in doing so had 'deliberately interfered with the administration of justice'. In her admission statement, she said her mobility is near normal 'on good days,' but 'on bad days' she considers herself to be disabled. 'I know it was wrong to misrepresent my presentation whilst making a civil claim. I accept that I deserve to be punished as a result,' she added. At the end of a half-day hearing, the judge concluded: 'I find the defendant guilty of contempt of court on the basis of her admissions.' Ms Burnell-Chambers will now return to court to be sentenced in October. The maximum term for contempt of court is two years' imprisonment.
Scotsman
an hour ago
- Scotsman
What is botulism? The symptoms you need to look out for after warning issued
It can take up to four weeks for the symptoms of botulism to develop 🏥 Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... There have been 38 cases of iatrogenic botulism detected in the North East of England. The botulism cases happened after patients underwent cosmetic procedures involving the suspected use of unlicensed Botox-like products. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are warning people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of botulism. People who have had cosmetic procedures involving botulinum toxin are being warned by the UKHSA to look out for the symptoms of botulism, after a series of cases have been reported. Detected in the North East, they relate to procedures carried out in the East of England and East Midlands. The poisoning occured after suspected use of unlicensed Botox-like products in cosmetic procedures, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There have been 38 cases of iatrogenic botulism between June 4 and July 14. As yet there are no known links between the newly diagnosed cases and those in the North East. Investigations behind the infections are being carried out, with evidence suggesting they have been caused by the use of an unlicensed product. Professor Meghana Pandit, Co-National Medical Director secondary care at NHS England, said: 'When these procedures go wrong, there is a risk of serious infections and permanent scarring, which is why only registered professionals like a doctor, a nurse or pharmacy prescriber should be prescribing these treatments. 'If you decide to undergo a cosmetic procedure like Botox or lip fillers, there is advice on the NHS website on the questions to ask, including making sure that the person administering it is trained to do it.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A number of cases of botulism have occurred after people had cosmetic procedures involving botulinum toxin. |What is botulism? Botulism is a rare but life-threatening condition that is caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. The NHS explain that these toxins attack the nervous system and cause paralysis. What are the symptoms of botulism? Dr Gauri Godbole, Consultant Medical Microbiologist at UKHSA, explained it can take up to four weeks for the symptoms of botulism to develop. Dr Godbole said: 'If you have had a recent botulinum toxin (Botox-like) treatment and are having symptoms such as difficulty swallowing or breathing, contact NHS 111 for further advice and seek treatment.' How do you know if someone is qualified to carry out injections? Botulinum toxin injections are prescription-only medications that can only be prescribed after a consultation with a healthcare professional, such as a doctor or a nurse. The person who prescribes the treatment must make sure that the person giving you the injections is trained and safe to do so. Questions you can ask include: Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad who the prescriber is who'll be giving the actual treatment what training and experience they have what the insurance arrangements are The NHS have outlined more information on what steps you can take when finding a practitioner for a cosmetic procedure. You can also check if those who are offering the cosmetic procedures are on a voluntary register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
