Weight-loss injections, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, have transformed how we treat obesity. Around 1.6 million adults in Great Britain have used weight-loss drugs in the past year, with the vast majority of patients buying these drugs privately.

The issue with these weight-loss drugs is that, despite their success in shedding weight while patients are taking them, studies report significant weight regain when people come off them. What’s more, the health benefits seen when taking these drugs, such as reductions in blood pressure, blood glucose and lipids, also disappear.

In the UK, a private prescription for Mounjaro costs about £300 a month. And therein lies the issue. The ongoing cost is unsustainable for most patients.

The reason these drugs are so expensive is mainly due to the way they are made. First, the active components of these drugs are peptides – small proteins that are rapidly degraded in the stomach and digestive tract, meaning they must be........

© The Conversation