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SALES OF WEIGHT loss injection Mounjaro have been temporarily paused in the UK to prevent pharmacies stockpiling ahead of a 170% price hike – a move which poses significant challenges for Irish users, with some users expected to turn to the black market as a result.
Mounjaro, which is made by pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, has been significantly cheaper in the UK than Ireland, causing many Irish-based users of the drug to buy it in Northern Ireland to save over €100 monthly.
Speaking to The Journal, a representative for Eli Lilly confirmed the company has no plans to implement price increases or a corresponding pause of sale of the drug in Ireland.
But, Dr Harriet Treacy, co-founder of weight loss clinic Beyond BMI, said the UK changes have caused “anxiety for patients and clinicians” in Ireland who are unsure if patients will be able to access or afford their medication due to the UK changes.
Sky News reported today that Eli Lilly is working with pharmacies across the UK to reduce the price of the medication following the increase.
Eli Lilly told The Journal it is “working with private providers on commercial arrangements to maintain affordability and expect these to be passed onto patients when the change is effective on 1 September”.
The company did not disclose how much cost would be reduced.
With the reduction, the highest Mounjaro dose would be double the cost it is now, rather than almost triple. Lower doses will get smaller discounts.
According to the HSE, Ireland has one of the highest levels of obesity in Europe, with 60% of adults living with the disease. Obesity treatment injections are intended to fight obesity and its associated diseases.
The Mounjaro pause on sale was introduced on Wednesday night and will remain in place until 1 September, when the 170% price increase is introduced.
After 1 September, the price for a month’s supply of the highest dose of the medicine (15mg) will increase from £122 (€141.39) to £330 (€382.41) in the UK.
The highest dose of the medication in Ireland costs around €475 per month, which is still significantly more expensive than the UK.
The Department of Health told The Journal that the HSE is “committed to ensuring access to effective medicines for patients within its available resources”.
It said Eli Lilly has submitted separate pricing and reimbursement applications for Mounjaro to the HSE for both diabetes and weight management, seeking inclusion in the Community Drug Schemes.
But Belinda Hogan, an Irish woman who gets her weight loss medication from Northern Ireland, said that without the cheaper price for Mounjaro in Northern Ireland, many people’s weight loss journeys could now end.
UK pharmacies are advising patients to save money by switching to Wegovy medication – but research suggests Mounjaro is more effective, with users losing up to 20% of their body weight in 72 weeks, in comparison to a 14% loss with Wegovy in the same time frame.
Speaking to The Journal, Dr Treacy said she has “never seen” a price increase as significant as this.
She said many of her patients who previously accessed Mounjaro from Northern Ireland are now faced with potentially having to abruptly stop using the medication.
She said suddenly stopping the medication can cause weight gain and set back progress made in diseases associated with obesity, for example heart disease.
She also highlighted the “very real psychological impact” that stopping the medication abruptly can cause, as rapid increases or decreases in weight can be “hugely negative” for people with bad experiences of diet culture.
Dr Treacy said that if panic over supply sets in, this may drive people to access unregulated weight loss medication on the black market.
“It’s not hard to see how it happens if there isn’t access to affordable, sustainable care,” she said.
Dr Treacy said black market weight loss medication may contain used or unclean needles, improper ingredients or have been incorrectly stored, causing them not to work.
“Ultimately this whole situation highlights a much broader challenge,” she said, adding that it shows the lack of sustainable and affordable access to weight loss medication in Ireland.
“People living with any disease deserve continuity, affordability and clarity,” she said.
The Department of Health said: “Patients are strongly advised to purchase only prescription medicines from regulated pharmacies. Buying online from unregulated sources is illegal and unsafe, posing risks of counterfeit or harmful products.”
Belinda Hogan told The Journal that the UK price increase will have significant consequences for people in Ireland.
“This is 100% going to be the end of a lot of people’s journeys with this medication due to the price increase. People just can’t afford it,” she said.
Hogan runs an online coaching programme for users of weight loss injections.
“I got messages every day this week of women nearly in tears because they can’t continue their journey and because they don’t know what they’re going to do,” she said.
She believes the “terrible” consequence of the change is that it could end the physical and mental health improvements people in Ireland were benefiting from when using the medication, as well as putting greater strain on the HSE.
Hogan said she avoided a back operation she previously needed, something she believes is due to her 100 pound weight reduction while using weight loss medications.
She previously criticised the price of the medication in the Republic of Ireland – which she described as a barrier to accessing obesity treatment injections.
“It’s wealthcare as opposed to healthcare. It’s not fair,” she said.
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