Eli Lilly Halts UK Orders of Mounjaro Ahead of Sharp Price Rise
Orders of the widely demanded weight loss drug Mounjaro have been temporarily suspended in Britain, with pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly confirming that supplies will only resume on 1 September – the same date the medicine’s cost is due to soar.
The US-based company said the pause was introduced to control stock levels and prevent shortages before its upcoming price increase. In its statement, Lilly stressed the decision was aimed at ensuring “patients maintain access” rather than allowing providers to stockpile.
From September, the highest available dose of Mounjaro (tirzepatide) will jump from £122 to £330 – a 170% hike.
The surge in UK pricing comes amid ongoing White House pressure on drug manufacturers to raise prices overseas, a move designed to subsidise cheaper costs for American patients.
The United States already spends more on prescription medicines than any other developed nation, typically paying nearly three times the international average.
While thousands in the UK pay privately for Mounjaro, it only became available on the NHS earlier this summer. Eli Lilly confirmed the steep rise would not affect those receiving prescriptions via the health service.
The company behind popular weight loss drug Mounjaro has offered a discounted deal to UK suppliers which is expected to limit the price increase to consumers from September.
Earlier this month, Eli Lilly announced it was putting up the list price of the drug by as much as 170%. pic.twitter.com/sULnAa6Ha0
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However, access remains patchy. Recent revelations that just eight of England’s 42 NHS Integrated Care Boards are currently offering the drug, leaving patients in most regions uncertain of when, or if, it will be accessible.
Known for its dual action, Mounjaro is injected weekly and originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes. Boosting insulin production and reducing sugar output from the liver, it also supports substantial weight loss.
This mechanism has made it a strong competitor to the blockbuster drug Ozempic, another diabetes treatment repurposed as a slimming aid. Both have become part of the global surge in demand for so-called “miracle” injections targeting obesity and diabetes-related complications.
The temporary halt has rattled UK pharmacies and private providers, many of whom are now bracing for customer frustration as supplies tighten and prices leap.
Lilly insists the restrictions are a safeguard rather than a shortage, promising orders will restart on 1 September. But for patients reliant on private prescriptions, the cost of continuing treatment could more than double overnight.
As the debate intensifies over fair drug pricing, Mounjaro remains at the centre of a global tug-of-war between public health demand, corporate profit, and political pressure.
