Eli Lilly is sharply increasing the UK price of its weight-loss and diabetes drug Mounjaro, with the cost of some doses set to rise by as much as 170 percent from September.
Eli Lilly is set to significantly hike the UK price of Mounjaro, its weight-loss and diabetes medication, with some doses expected to skyrocket by up to 170% starting September.
According to the pharmaceutical giant, this move aims to address international pricing discrepancies, particularly in comparison to other developed European nations, and ensure a fairer global contribution towards medical innovation funding.
The most substantial price increase will see a month’s supply of the highest dose surge from £122 to £330, while lower doses will experience a rise of between 45% and 138%. However, Eli Lilly reassured that the revised list prices will not be applicable to the NHS, as the company has committed to maintaining the existing supply rate to prevent any disruptions to patient access.
In contrast, private healthcare providers, who also prescribe the medication, will be impacted by the price hike, although they can negotiate confidential discounts with Eli Lilly.
This development unfolds against a backdrop of mounting political pressure from the United States, where former President Donald Trump has vocally criticised “foreign freeloaders” for benefiting from lower drug prices while American citizens pay substantially more. Notably, Trump singled out obesity treatments, citing an anecdote of a friend in London purchasing the “fat shot drug” at a significantly lower cost than in the US.
A study by the Rand Corporation reveals that, on average, US drug prices are nearly three times higher than those in many other advanced economies. The pharmaceutical sector has been on the defensive against the potential impact of a “most favoured nation” policy, which could link US prices to those levied internationally, reports the Daily Record.
Lilly highlighted that the UK was among the first markets where it introduced Mounjaro and stated its initial focus had been to swiftly deliver the medicine to diabetes patients.
“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 firm declared.
Talks between drug manufacturers and the UK government over NHS medication costs have been fraught, with debates about alterations to a clawback tax on drug sales exceeding agreed deadlines.
The government’s latest proposals included plans to increase spending on medicines, but industry leaders voiced frustration at the absence of detail or clarity on whether this would entail purchasing more medicines or paying higher prices for existing ones.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has endorsed Mounjaro for up to 3.4 million individuals in England.
However, worries about affordability resulted in an agreement for a staggered rollout, commencing with approximately 250,000 patients who have the highest clinical need over the initial three years.
NHS England has assured that the impending price alterations will not impact its provision of the drug Mounjaro to eligible patients suffering from obesity or diabetes.
“Mounjaro is a cost-effective and valuable tool to support people to reach a healthier weight and the wider health and lifestyle benefits that offers,” it stated.
The adjustments bring the UK price more in line with the European average, occurring at a time when pharmaceutical firms are becoming increasingly aware of how international price disparities could influence future US policy decisions.
#Price #King #Kong #fat #jab #soar #shy #bloated #year
