Fat jab price soars after Trump threat: Cost of Mounjaro up 170% as US President demands UK pay more

The cost of 'King Kong' fat jab Mounjaro will almost triple in Britain after Donald Trump sparked a global drugs price war.

Manufacturer Lilly said it plans to raise the wholesale price from next month to bring it into line with 'other developed countries'.

The move is set to push the annual cost of Mounjaro, for users who pay privately for the highest available dose, past £4,000.

Pharmacy leaders fear more firms will now be emboldened to announce their own price rises – and warned patients risk becoming 'pawns' in a wider dispute over the cost of medicines.

The inflation-busting increase comes after President Trump demanded US drug makers lower prices for American patients, who he said 'subsidise the health care of foreign countries'.

In a letter to pharma firms, he said they should 'negotiate harder with foreign freeloading nations' and 'increased revenues abroad must be repatriated to lower drug prices for American patients and taxpayers'.

Mr Trump has previously complained that a friend bought a 'fat drug' in London for a fraction of the price it cost in the US, despite being 'the same box made in the same plant by the same company'.

He wants companies to guarantee US patients are charged the best possible price for their drugs – equal to or better than other developed countries – and told firms to make up any lost revenue from other nations.

Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, which represents thousands of community pharmacies in Britain, said: 'We are shocked and very disappointed by this more than doubling of the wholesale cost of Mounjaro.

'This is a real blow to patients, at a time when more and more people worried about their weight are turning to jabs.

'British patients must not become pawns in a wider dispute about the costs of medicines arising from President Trump's recent letter to the US drug manufacturers.'

The list price of a 15mg KwikPen, which is the highest dose available and enough for four weekly shots, will increase from £122 to £330 – a rise of 170 per cent. Some online retailers are already charging more.

The cost of a 2.5mg pen, the lowest dose available, will rise 45 per cent from £92 to £133 from September 1, US firm Eli Lilly said. Clinical research into the effectiveness of the injections show they deliver 'value', it added.

Studies have shown patients taking tirzepatide, the active drug in Mounjaro, lost 20 per cent of their body weight over 72 weeks.

Mounjaro was nicknamed the King Kong of weight loss drugs because of its strong results in clinical trials, particularly when compared to certain rivals.

Lilly is negotiating prices individually with private providers, who may be able to secure a discount they can pass on to customers.

But the company said it is down to pharmacies to set the price they charge and this may include processing fees and consultation fees. The price the NHS pays will not change.

Dr Hannbeck added: 'IPA calls on the other weight-loss manufacturers to hold their nerves and hold their prices.

The British market for weight-loss jabs is only set to grow, but it will only achieve that growth if treatment remains affordable to the average patient.'

'We are concerned that more pharmaceutical companies may increase their prices as a result of tariffs and this will have a detrimental impact on our medicines market, our pharmacies and our patients.

We urge the Government to have contingencies in place should this happen.'

The UK Government is closely monitoring developments with the global price of medicines and will seek to protect supplies and the NHS.

Online pharmacies around the world were yesterday charging vastly different prices for the 15mg dose of Mounjaro, including £199 in the UK, £331 in Australia, £421 in Germany and £813 in the USA.

The jab works by targeting the GLP-1 receptors, which suppress appetite and make users feel fuller for longer.

There was a global shortage of GLP-1 injections after celebrity users sparked a surge in popularity and the NHS has warned individuals against buying them from unauthorised sources.

A Lilly spokesman said: 'Following a review, Lilly will increase the UK list price for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) from 1 September to address pricing inconsistencies compared to other developed countries, including in Europe.

'In parallel, we have reached an agreement with the NHS to ensure continued supply and patient access. While Lilly does not determine the prices that private healthcare providers set, we are working with them to maintain patient access.

'The UK was one of the first countries where Lilly launched Mounjaro, and our priority was to bring it to patients as quickly as possible during a time of limited supply of GLP-1 RA treatments for type 2 diabetes.

'At launch, Lilly agreed to a UK list price that is significantly below the European average to prevent delays in NHS availability.

'With changes in the environment and new clinical evidence supporting the value of Mounjaro, we are now aligning the list price more consistently to ensure fair global contributions to the cost of innovation.'

Two in three adults in Britain are obese or overweight and more than 5million people have type-2 diabetes, linked to poor diet and lifestyles.

Estimates suggest one in ten women already take weight loss jabs.

An NHS England spokesman said: 'Licensed, cost-effective weight loss medication, such as tirzepatide (Mounjaro) provides a valuable tool to support people to reach a healthier weight and the wider health and lifestyle benefits that offers.

'The list price increase will not affect NHS commissioning of tirzepatide in England for eligible people living with obesity, based on clinical priority, or as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Anyone with questions about their private tirzepatide prescription should contact their provider.'