One of the largest drugmakers in the world has halted the sale of weight-loss jab Mounjaro in Britain, leaving consumers scrambling to stock up ahead of a 170 per cent price hike.
US-based pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly has temporarily stopped orders of Mounjaro in a bid to ease pressure caused by sky-high demand.
The pause will mean that British pharmacies will not be able to purchase more of the weight-loss jabs at the current rate.
The measure will be in place until September 1 after being rolled out on Wednesday evening.
Eli Lilly, has temporarily halted orders of Mounjaro in a bid to ease pressure caused by the sky-high demand
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The scheduled price hike for Britons is set to come into place next week, with the cost of the injection jumping to between £133 and £330 per jab depending on the dosage level.
Currently one injection pen, holding four doses, is priced between £92 and £122.
Concerns are now mounting for the roughly 1.5 million British users of the weight-loss drug - with many fearing that they may not be able to afford the jabs once the price hike comes into effect.
Only one in 10 British users have access to Mounjaro for free on the NHS.
Many British users fear they may not be able to afford the jabs once the price hike comes into effect
| PAThe chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, said: “It’s unacceptable that Eli Lilly are not only putting their prices up, after only giving a short notice at the beginning of this month of their intentions to do so which has led to worry and chaos, but now they are also stopping the supply until September when their higher prices come into effect.”
Eli Lilly's move comes despite Health Secretary Wes Streeting saying just last week he would protect British patients from being "ripped off” by large drug manufacturers.
Pharmacists have warned Britons not to panic-buy the injections before the price increase.
Henry Greg, the chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said: “Bulk ordering can have a significant impact on supply and pose a potential risk to patient safety.”
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Eli Lilly has claimed the 170 per cent price rise may not impact all British users because private pharmacies ultimately decide how much they charge for Mounjaro.
A spokesman for the firm said: “Lilly has allocations in place for pharmacies and providers that order stock from us, to manage our supply and ensure patients maintain access.
“There are legal protections in place, enforced by the MHRA, to prevent the inappropriate stockpiling of medicines by providers.
"We encourage patients to only order based on their current treatment plan, to reduce the risk of localised disruption.”
Eli Lilly have claimed the 170 per cent price rise may not impact all British users
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The NHS was believed to be preparing to roll back the stringent eligibility criteria to receive the drug, The Telegraph revealed earlier this month.
Current guidelines require patients to have a BMI of over 40 and a minimum of four out of five specific health conditions, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, to be given Mounjaro by a GP.
The Liberal Democrats demanded on Wednesday that the Prime Minister needed to make it “crystal clear to the White House and Eli Lilly that the health of our nation will not be held to ransom, demand that this price hike is reversed and ensure these drugs are available for those who need them”.
GB News has approached the Department for Health and Social Care for comment.