Free weight loss jabs to be offered to thousands of Scots in fight against obesity
EXCLUSIVE: Scottish Labour Health Minister Zubir Ahmed said obesity is a "disease of poverty" and claimed the medications could cut the sickness benefits bill.
Up to 5,000 Scots from deprived areas will get weight loss jabs in a bid to tackle the obesity crisis.
A trial funded by the Labour Government will ensure obese Scots have free access to Wegovy medication that can cost over £100 a month.
Scottish Labour Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed, who is leading on the pilot, said he hoped the jabs could be rolled out to the rest of the population and cut the sickness benefits bill.
Around 2.5 million people in Britain are estimated to use weight loss jabs currently on the market.
But critics worry that limited availability on the NHS means there is a two-tier system based on availability to pay.
Ahmed, the Glasgow South West MP who is a Health Minister in the UK Government, has announced an initial £650,000 for a project to widen access.
The partnership involves the Government, Glasgow University, clinical trial provider IQVIA and pharma firm Novo Nordisk, who will make Wegovy injections free to thousands of Scots in poorer areas.
Ahmed, a surgeon, said obesity affects almost one in three Scots, with the figure rising to around 50% in deprived communities.
“That's a situation that we're not willing to accept as a UK government,” he told the Record.
“And therefore we're providing funding to start this study that’s going to direct anti-obesity medication to the most deprived communities, and study at the same time its effects and how we can roll it out faster to the rest of the population.”
Based on data and conversations he has had with experts, Ahmed said anti-obesity jabs “absolutely” have a part to play in tackling obesity.
Ahmed said as a Labour politician he wants to widen access to medications that are in the hands of the better off:
“At the moment, what happens is if you can afford it, you go and get yourself a drug online or a private prescription and if you can't afford it you suffer.”
He added: “It is certainly the Labour government exploring ways we can make weight loss drugs, access to weight loss drugs, more equitable across society.
“Because unfortunately, if you're less privileged, you actually have an increased risk of obesity. Obesity has become in the 21st century a disease of poverty rather than of affluence.
“It's so important that at the UK level, a UK Labour Government explores ways we can deliver these medications to everyone based on need, not the ability to pay.”
The NHS is devolved to Holyrood, but Ahmed is sympathetic to weight loss medication becoming available free at the point of need in Scotland over time:
“In principle, I think that is a direction of travel I'd want to explore.”
He also said he hoped anti-obesity medication could reduce the number of Scots on sickness benefits:
“Oh, 100%. There is no doubt that obviously the chronic disease burden in this country is part of the reason why there are more economically inactive Scots here than in any other part of Britain.
“It's not entirely a coincidence that one in six Scots are on a waiting list and one in six Scots are economically inactive. A lot of those people on waiting lists are probably suffering from conditions related to obesity.
“There is definitely potential to be using these medications and for there to be a benefit in terms of getting people back to work.
“That benefit is unclear at the moment, but that's also one of the things that would be explored in this study.”
A source said most of the 5,000 people part of the trial would get the medication, while a placebo would be used for others.
UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “Scotland is home to a vibrant life sciences community, fuelled by strong public and private sector partnerships, and supported by top-tier universities and the NHS.
“New ways of tackling obesity offer the chance to give people their health and wellbeing back – in some cases offering a route back to the dignity of work, where ill-health has stopped them previously.
“Designed by a group of pioneering organisations, the trial will bolster our knowledge of weight-loss medicines, help us expand their rollout in deprived areas of our country and stop location being a barrier to good health.”
SNP Government Health Secretary Neil Gray said:
“The Scottish Government is proud to be leading the way in tackling obesity through innovation and collaboration. This study places patients and communities at the heart of cutting-edge research into weight-loss medicines, ensuring we build the evidence needed to deliver the greatest benefit to those who need it most.
UK General Manager for Novo Nordisk, Sebnem Avsar Tuna, said:
"We are delighted to be part of SCoMIS, an important collaboration investigating the impact that managing obesity can have on people's lives, healthcare systems and society. Obesity is more than just a number on the scale; it’s a complex disease that can be tied to other serious conditions. By generating robust evidence in a real-world setting, society at large can gain an understanding of both the individual and societal value of helping people living with obesity.”
Chair of UK Obesity Healthcare Goals Programme, Professor Naveed Sattar, said: “Obesity has become the most pressing challenge in modern medicine. The growing recognition of the need for more clinical trials - designed to assess both the benefits and safety of new treatments in the communities most affected - is a hugely welcome and necessary step forward.”
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