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Mounjaro users in the UK have been left horrified after the weight loss drug's manufacturer announced it would be increasing prices by 170 percent.
People who currently access the GLP-1 medication will see prices for the highest dose of Mounjaro increase from £122 to £330 from September, following calls from US President Donald Trump.
While millions of Brits have credited weight loss medications like Mounjaro for allowing them to transform their health by losing weight, many now feel they will be unable to continue with treatment as the price will become unattainable.
For those who will be forced to stop taking the medication, pharmacists are warning that stopping the injections 'cold turkey' could lead to a very sudden return of appetite and cravings - it's recommended that users slowly reduce the dosage they're taking to give your body time to adjust.
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Meanwhile, some Mounjaro users are looking to see what alternatives there are on the weight loss market so they can continue their journey. This interest has been confirmed by a spike of people searching for information about Wegovy and Retatrutide.
What is Wegovy (semaglutide)?
Wegovy is the brand name for semaglutide, a GLP-1 medication for weight loss that is very similar to Mounjaro and is currently licensed in the UK.
It is manufactured by Novo Nordisk, the Danish company behind Ozempic and is marketed as a treatment for obesity, unlike Ozempic, which was created as a treatment for Type-2 diabetes.
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Much like Mounjaro, Wegovy works by mimicking the natural hormone GLP-1 to reduce appetite and slow down digestion.
However, the difference between the two medications is that Wegovy is a GLP-1 receptor antagonist only, while Mounjaro mimics both GLP-1 and GIP, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, receptors.
Imitating GIP can enhance the release of insulin, improve the metabolism of fat and boost fullness, typically wielding slightly higher weight loss results of an average of 15 percent body weight lost compared to Mounjaro's 20 percent average.
However, there are no expected price increases for Wegovy, meaning that when Mounjaro does go up in cost, Novo Nordisk's jabs will be more affordable.
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Prices do vary depending on provider, but the highest dose of Wegovy currently costs between £188 and £270 for one month's worth.
What is Retatrutide?
Meanwhile, online searches for Retatrutide have soared in the last 24 hours, following news of the Mounjaro price hike.
Retatrutide is actually manufactured by Eli Lilly too, but has been dubbed a 'triple antagonist' as it activates three hormone receptors: GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptor, to increase energy expenditure and potentially promote fat burning.
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Unlike Mounjaro and Wegovy, however, Retatrutide is still in the test phase and has not yet been licensed as a weight loss drug.
It's also worth considering that the fact it is made by the same pharmaceutical company as Mounjaro means it's probably likely to be subject to the same price hikes here in the UK.
Emma Rosemurgey