Health
Eli Lilly launches daily diabetes and weight-loss pill in UK pharmacies
Foundayo becomes available through private prescriptions as regulators review potential NHS coverage amid counterfeit concerns.
The short version
- Eli Lilly's daily oral medication Foundayo launched in UK pharmacies, making the UK the first European country to offer the drug.
- The pill is licensed to treat poorly controlled type 2 diabetes and aid weight loss in qualifying adults with a BMI of 30 or higher, or 27 with related health conditions.
- Initial access is limited to private prescriptions while Nice evaluates the drug for potential NHS coverage.
- Health officials and pharmacists have raised concerns regarding counterfeit oral formulations circulating in the unregulated market.
Key facts
- The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorized Eli Lilly's oral drug orforglipron, branded as Foundayo, earlier in August.[The Guardian]
- The UK is the first country in Europe to authorize and launch Foundayo, which follows the June approval of a tablet version of Wegovy.[The Guardian]
- The medication is licensed for adults with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, individuals with a BMI of 30 or greater, or those with a BMI between 27 and 30 who have at least one weight-related condition.[The Guardian]
- Foundayo is initially available only via private prescription while Eli Lilly engages with Nice regarding potential NHS access in England.[The Guardian]
- Pharmacy representatives and manufacturers warned that pill-based GLP-1 alternatives are easier to illicitly produce than injectables, heightening risks of counterfeit drugs.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- It remains unknown whether or when Nice will recommend Foundayo for public funding and distribution across the NHS in England.[The Guardian]
Sources
- New daily diabetes pill that helps with weight loss launches in UK pharmaciesThe Guardian - World