Mounjaro (tirzepatide), dubbed the ‘King Kong’ of weight-loss medications, will be available in Irish pharmacies from February 17th via private prescription. The drug, which costs over €215 monthly, offers significant benefits for obesity and type-2 diabetes treatment.
Key details:
- Used for obesity and type-2 diabetes management
- Weekly injection required
- Clinical trials show 20.2% weight loss compared to 13.7% for competing drugs
- Manufactured by Lilly
- Not yet HSE-reimbursed
Common side effects include digestive issues like nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, and vomiting. The HSE is conducting a health technology assessment to evaluate the drug’s clinical and cost-effectiveness.
Lilly emphasizes the significant unmet medical need in managing diabetes and obesity, positioning Mounjaro as a potentially transformative treatment option for patients.
According to The Journal, experts caution that such medications should only be used under medical supervision, following concerns about illegal online sales of similar weight-loss drugs.