Tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro®,is a GLP1/GIP agonist. Other medications such as semaglutide (Wegovy®), liraglutide (Saxenda®), are known as GLP-1 agonists. Both types of drugs work in the same way and mimic gut hormones released by the body after eating, telling the brain you are full and slowing down the time it takes the stomach to empty.
New community-based weight management services are being developed across the Black Country to support safe and effective access to tirzepatide (Mounjaro®), a medication that can help with weight loss and related health conditions. We anticipate these will be available via primary care from September 2025.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) will not be accessible to everyone who wishes to use it. People with the highest health risks and who meet the clinical criteria will be prioritised.
Please do not contact the practice about Mounjaro at this time. If you are eligible, you will be contacted by the practice.
As part of our phased approach, the first group or patients who may be eligible will include those who:-
- Have a BMI or 40 or more (or 37.5 for people from minority ethnic backgrounds),
- And have obstructive sleep apnoea on CPAP (or where CPAP is not tolerated)
And have at least three of the following long-term conditions:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Dyslipidaemia
Other patients who meet the broader NHS criteria (BMI≥40 and four or more health related conditions not prioritising patients with sleep apnoea) may become eligible in later stages
People with a BMI of 40 or more (or 37.5 for people from minority ethnic backgrounds) are selected in the first phase due to increased levels of risk to their health.
People with obstructive sleep apnoea and are on CPAP are selected in the first phase as it causes tiredness, poor sleep and cognitive issues (the mental processes that take place in the brain, including thinking, attention, language, learning, memory and perception). Treating sleep apnoea and weight management in these patients can quickly improve a patient’s daily life and generally better overall control of their other eligible clinical conditions.
The ICB website has the latest information on access to tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight management in the Black Country, which you might find useful.