Overview

• Local prescribing data highlight stark gaps, with areas such as North Tyneside seeing far fewer GLP‑1 prescriptions than places like Castle Point and Rochford or Leicestershire and Rutland.
• The NHS says tirzepatide is being rolled out in phases for eligible patients, with guidance issued and funding provided to integrated care boards in March 2025.
• Limited NHS availability has pushed many to buy injections privately, with typical monthly costs reported at roughly £100 to £200 depending on dose.
• Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide patents are due to lapse from early 2026 in countries including India, Canada, China, Brazil and Turkey, while UK protection runs to 2031.
• Generics firms such as Adalvo and Sandoz have signalled plans for semaglutide copies, with industry estimates of 60%–90% price cuts and warnings about grey‑market imports and counterfeit risks before UK patent expiry.