The medical director of NHS England has cautioned that weight-loss injections are not a “holy grail” solution to the obesity crisis, despite playing an important role in treatment. Professor Stephen Powis told a King’s Fund conference on Wednesday that the drugs were revolutionary and a welcome addition to NHS options, but said “we cannot simply treat our way out of the obesity crisis”. He stressed the need for wider preventive action across society to stem the problem at source.
Powis also expressed caution about using the medicines to treat childhood obesity, saying he “would not want to over-medicalise children and young people”, though he acknowledged they might help in some cases. His remarks follow a joint letter from more than 200 doctors and medical experts warning that unprecedented demand for the drugs could overwhelm the NHS. The letter, coordinated by the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA), urges health secretary Wes Streeting to review services for millions struggling with weight.
The OHA says 4.1 million people in England are eligible for Wegovy, yet NHS estimates suggest fewer than 50,000 will receive treatment each year by 2028, even with new funding. Katharine Jenner, the OHA’s director, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that rather than being a silver bullet, the drugs were “highlighting the weaknesses in our current system”. She called for urgent government action to make services “sustainable and equitable”.
The letter to Streeting sets out a vision for a fully resourced system delivering equitable, tailored support without stigma. Meanwhile, officials have announced a five-year trial in Manchester to assess the “real-world effectiveness” of Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide. The drug, manufactured by Lilly, has been hailed after a study found users lost an average of 21% of their body weight over 36 weeks when combined with diet and exercise support.
The Department of Health and Social Care said it was tackling obesity head-on by restricting junk food advertising and banning high-caffeine energy drinks for under-16s. NHS England added that it was working with government and industry to develop new services so approved treatments could be rolled out safely, effectively and affordably, without impacting other care.
