Thousands of Poorest Scots to Receive Free Weight-Loss Jabs in Trial
By Mufid Majnun via Unsplash
By Rachel Brown and Holly Hemsley
Weight loss jabs are to be provided for free in some of the poorest communities in Scotland.
The NHS will begin clinical trials administering weight loss injections to those suffering from long-term obesity. The drug, GLP-1, is currently used to treat Type 2 diabetes.
A study conducted by the University of Glasgow shows that more than one in three adults in Scotland’s deprived areas are living with obesity. They aim to examine how beneficial the GLP-1 drug will be to the NHS by reducing the long-term cost of diabetic care.
The GLP-1 drug aims to target sections of the brain that affect hunger and appetite, allowing overweight individuals to adjust their eating habits.
The UK government has allotted £650,000 for the Scotland Cardiometabolic Impact Study (SCoMIS), and the programme will begin in 2026.
Pamela from Cumbernauld said: “The government should be spending more on looking at how to prevent obesity, rather than dealing with the aftermath.
“The budget and the money would be better spent on educating people about the diet.”
Currently, more than 300,000 people are living with Type 2 diabetes in Scotland, with those living with the condition 50% more likely to die prematurely. Expanding the distribution of the drug to those who are struggling with weight loss will remove the vital medication from diabetic patients.
Emma from the Isle of Bute said: “Focus should be on the cause of obesity, rather than taking drugs which is meant for Type 2 diabetes.
“People are going to end up in a position where they need a drug, a lifesaving medication for them that might not be available.”
According to Gov.uk, distributing free GLP-1 injections in poorer areas of Scotland will offer a quick fix, experts claim. However, it may lead to individuals only treating the symptoms of obesity instead of the main cause. Families living in poverty have little to no access to healthy alternatives and may not have the ability or time to cook food from scratch at home.
Obesity in disadvantaged communities is often tied to societal issues. Without tackling these inequalities, GLP-1 injections may become a temporary bandage rather than a long-term solution.
The UK government should aim to deliver lasting change by not only carrying out clinical trials, but investing in education, community programmes and preventive healthcare.
Those eligible to be administered with the GLP-1 hormones will include individuals with BMI over 30 (over 27 if they are also pre-diabetic,) coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea or high blood pressure. However, any individuals with a history of liver, kidney or thyroid cancers will not be eligible for the trials.