Thousands of people in Nottinghamshire prescribed anti-obesity drug

It comes as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recently approved the use of another weight loss drug, semaglutide, by NHS England.

Currently, orlistat is the primary weight-loss drug prescribed by the NHS and has been approved for use since 2010.

Orlistat, commonly sold under the brand name Xenical, is available on prescription from doctors, or can be bought at a pharmacy where it must be taken under the supervision of a pharmacist. The tablet works by preventing about a third of fat from food being absorbed into the body.

NHS OpenPrescribing data shows 3,430 prescriptions for orlistat were handed out by GPs in the former NHS Nottinghamshire clinical commissioning group area throughout 2022, at a cost of £90,200 to the NHS.

It is down from 3,900 the year prior.

Over the past five years, there were 18,610 prescriptions for orlistat in Nottinghamshire, costing the health service about £465,460.

The Obesity Health Alliance, which welcomed the approval of semaglutide, said drugs alone will not be the answer to the UK’s extremely high levels of excess weight.

“We need to ensure as few people as possible reach the stage of needing pharmaceutical or surgical interventions,” it said, adding the root cause of obesity must be tackled, including the level of unhealthy food and drink marketed and promoted.

Across England, about 360,000 prescriptions for orlistat were given by GPs in 2022, up on the previous three years, but down from 2018’s figure of 370,000.

Overall, the weight loss drug prescriptions cost the health service £9.8 million last year.

Semaglutide, sold under the brand name Wegovy, will be made available in NHS specialist weight management service and will be prescribed alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Helen Knight, NICE director of medicines evaluation, said the drug is a “welcome option” for people who struggle to lose weight.

She said: “It won’t be available to everyone. Our committee has made specific recommendations to ensure it remains value for money for the taxpayer, and it can only be used for a maximum of two years.”

Only adults who have at least two weight-related medical conditions and a high body mass index will be eligible for the injections.