Unemployed individuals struggling with obesity could soon be offered weight loss jabs to help them return to work, according to Health Secretary Wes Streeting. The Labour minister praised drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro as “life-changing” and potentially transformative for the NHS.
In a piece for the Telegraph, Streeting explained that obesity-related illnesses cost the NHS £11 billion annually. He believes these new weight loss injections could relieve some of the strain on healthcare services and help people back into employment by reducing worklessness.
The initiative is part of a broader trial in Greater Manchester, where the effectiveness of weight loss drugs in tackling unemployment will be studied. This comes alongside a £279 million investment from pharmaceutical giant Lilly, announced at an international investment summit.
Streeting highlighted the potential economic benefits, noting that obesity leads to an average of four extra sick days per person per year. He also stressed that the drugs are not a “silver bullet” and that individuals must take responsibility for their health.
NHS chief Amanda Pritchard called the treatments a “game-changer,” with the potential to reduce risks of diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes. Ozempic, already available on the NHS, works by making people feel fuller for longer, though experts stress it must be used alongside healthy diet and exercise.
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