Eli Lilly will increase the price of its weight loss and diabetes drug Mounjaro in the UK by up to 170% from September, aiming to “address pricing inconsistencies compared with other developed countries, including in Europe.”
The exponential rise comes amid immense pressure from US President Donald Trump’s administration over “foreign freeloaders” paying reduced amounts for drugs in contrast to the US.
The price for an entire month’s supply of the highest doses will significantly increase from £122 to £330, while lower doses will surge by 45% to 138%.
According to Lillu, the NHS price will remain unchanged, ensuring continued supply, and providers may discuss confidential discounts.
Lilly stated, “At launch, Lilly agreed to a UK list price that is significantly below the European average to prevent delays in NHS availability. With changes in the environment and new clinical evidence supporting the value of Mounjaro, we are now aligning the list price more consistently to ensure fair global contributions to the cost of innovation.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence advised Mounjaro for up to 3.4mn individuals across the UK, though launch is staged, initiating with around 250,000 with the highest clinical needs.
NHS England ensured that the increase in price would not affect supply, calling Mounjaro a valuable tool that helps people during their weight loss journey and attain their ideal weight.
