{"id":45749,"date":"2025-08-05T16:47:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T16:47:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/45749\/"},"modified":"2025-08-05T16:47:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T16:47:12","slug":"concern-over-weight-gain-after-skinny-jabs-such-as-wegovy-and-mounjaro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/45749\/","title":{"rendered":"Concern over weight gain after \u2018skinny jabs\u2019 such as Wegovy and Mounjaro"},"content":{"rendered":"

Health chiefs have raised concerns about people regaining weight after using Wegovy and Mounjaro, saying that patients coming off the drugs should be given support to help prevent them piling on the pounds again.<\/p>\n

Research shows that many people regain weight after stopping treatment if they are not supported, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said.<\/p>\n

The health watchdog said that people coming off the drugs should be offered \u201cstructured advice and follow-up support\u201d to help prevent weight gain.<\/p>\n

The guidance is for people who are offered the treatments through the NHS.<\/p>\n

An estimated 1.5 million people are taking weight loss jabs in the UK, but the vast majority are paying for them privately so will not be eligible for NHS support after they have finished their treatment.<\/p>\n

Around 240,000 people with \u201cgreatest need\u201d are expected to receive Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, through the NHS over the next three years.<\/p>\n

The new \u201cquality standard\u201d from Nice says that NHS patients should be monitored for at least a year after they complete treatment, and extra support should be offered if needed.<\/p>\n

It emphasises building \u201clong-term behavioural habits, use self-monitoring tools, and draw on wider support \u2013 from online communities to family-led interventions and local activities\u201d.<\/p>\n

This standard, a type of guidance for the health services in England and Wales, sets out expectations for health providers including how they should support patients.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuccessful weight management doesn\u2019t end when medication stops or when someone completes a behavioural programme,\u201d said Professor Jonathan Benger, deputy chief executive and chief medical officer at Nice.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that the transition period after treatment is crucial, and people need structured support to maintain the positive changes they\u2019ve made.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis new standard makes sure services provide that vital continuity of care, and it supports the NHS 10 Year Plan to shift from a \u2018sickness service\u2019 to a genuine health service focused on prevention.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Rebecca Payne, chair of Nice\u2019s Quality Standards Advisory Committee, added: \u201cWeight management is a long-term journey, not a short-term fix.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe evidence is clear that advice and support for maintaining weight after stopping medicines or completing behavioural interventions can help prevent weight regain and enable people to experience lasting benefits.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen excellent examples of services that already provide comprehensive discharge planning and ongoing support.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis quality standard will help ensure all healthcare providers adopt these best practices, giving every person the best chance of maintaining their weight management success over the long term.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis standard ensures healthcare services are equipped to provide that essential ongoing support.\u201d<\/p>\n

Commenting, Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said: \u201cPharmacies take their responsibilities seriously to provide full wrap-around support to patients trying to achieve a healthy weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that although medication can be effective in speeding up weight loss in some people, it is not a silver bullet and patients need to make long-term lifestyle changes to make their weight loss sustainable.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current NHS rollout of weight loss treatment is very small, with only a handful of patients receiving it, and it will continue to be the case that the vast majority of eligible patients will be seen by their pharmacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: \u201cThere is no one-size-fits-all approach to tackling obesity \u2013 what works for one patient will likely not work for another and, as with any medication, weight-loss drugs do not come without risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s also the case that patients will likely need support to sustain their weight loss once they stop taking the medication. As such, this is important and sensible guidance from Nice.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a college, we\u2019ve been clear that whilst weight loss medications have significant potential benefits for patients who are struggling to lose weight, they mustn\u2019t be seen as a \u2018silver bullet\u2019 and ensuring access to sufficient \u2018wraparound\u2019 services \u2013 particularly for when patients come off their medication \u2013 will be key to optimal health outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

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