By The Standard
Weight loss injections are set to be more widely available on the NHS for free as part of a 10-year plan for the health service, Wes Streeting has confirmed.
The Health Secretary said the so-called fat jabs are the 鈥渢alk of the House of Commons tea rooms鈥 and 鈥渉alf my colleagues are on them鈥, as he pledged to widen access.
Medications, such as Mounjaro, should be available according to need, not the ability to pay, he added and he vowed to get them into the hands of those who need them most.
Currently, people with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or more, or 30 but with a linked health condition, can be prescribed jabs on the NHS through specialist weight-management services.
Other people are paying hundreds of pounds a month to get the jabs privately.
Mr Streeting told LBC radio: 鈥淲eight-loss jabs are the talk of the House of Commons, half my colleagues are on them and are judging the rest of us saying 鈥榶ou lot should be on them鈥.
鈥淎nd the thing is, if you can afford these weight loss jabs, which can be over 200 quid a month, well that鈥檚 all right for you.
鈥淏ut most people in this country haven鈥檛 got spared two and a half grand a year and often the people who have the worst and most challenging obesity also have the lowest income.
鈥淪o I鈥檓 bringing to weight loss jabs the principle of fairness which has underpinned the NHS.
鈥淚t should be available based on need and not the ability to pay.
鈥淎nd that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e going to do on weight loss jabs, as well as a number of other things, including people getting more fit, more active, supporting people on diet and nutrition鈥.that鈥檚 the bit of the weight loss jab debate that sometimes gets lost.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not that you can have some weight loss jabs and stuff your face with Jaffa cakes鈥︹
He said obesity cost the NHS billions a year, adding that taxes have been going 鈥渦p and up鈥 to pay for the health service.