New trial results are exciting, but today's prices still matter.
Here is what changed this week if you are comparing weight-loss treatment: a stronger future drug, wider Wegovy pill pricing and a little more NHS access to Mounjaro.
This week brought two different kinds of news. Retatrutide, a future Eli Lilly weight-loss medicine, posted very strong trial results. But for anyone looking for treatment now, the more practical update is that Wegovy pill prices are starting to spread across private UK services, with some headline prices starting below £70 a month.
On the NHS, the door to a Mounjaro prescription is also opening a little wider as more GP surgeries sign up and eligibility rules loosen. In short: more treatment options are coming, but the best choice still depends on access, price, suitability and clinical support.
In this round-up
Retatrutide posts the biggest weight loss yet seen in a drug trial
Eli Lilly's next weight-loss drug, retatrutide, has produced the largest average weight loss reported in a medication trial to date, according to results from its Phase 3 TRIUMPH-1 study. Where today's leading drugs cluster around roughly 20% to 27%, retatrutide pushed higher still, narrowing the gap with weight-loss surgery outcomes.
Retatrutide is a triple agonist: it acts on GLP-1, GIP and glucagon pathways rather than the one or two pathways current drugs target. Lilly has begun offering early access to a small number of patients ahead of regulatory decisions, but that is a long way from routine UK prescribing.
The Wegovy pill is out privately, and prices are already spreading
The oral version of Wegovy, the UK's first weight-loss tablet, was approved by the MHRA on 11 June 2026 and is now available through a growing list of private providers. It contains semaglutide, the same active ingredient as the Wegovy injection, and in its main trial delivered around 13.6% average weight loss.
The more interesting story is price. With several pharmacies launching at once, headline monthly costs are already spread widely, and some of the cheapest entry prices depend on signing up to a longer commitment.
| Provider | Starting price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SheMed | from £69/month | On a 12-month commitment |
| Chemist4U | from £99/month | Top 25mg dose around £199/month |
| Simple Online Pharmacy | from £129/month | Varies by dose |
| Typical market range | £69 to £244/month | Depends on dose and commitment |
If you would rather swallow a tablet than inject, the pill is now a real option, but read the small print before trusting the sticker price. Compare the total 12-month cost, not just the first month, and check whether you are tied in if you want to stop or switch.
More GP surgeries can now prescribe Mounjaro, and the rules are loosening
NHS access to Mounjaro through GP surgeries has been widening through 2026. Since April, family doctors have been able to prescribe it in primary care under a new incentive framework, rather than only through specialist weight-management clinics.
The important caveat is that GP participation is voluntary, so not every practice is offering it yet, and access still varies by area because local NHS bodies decide how services are funded.
It is worth a conversation with your GP, especially if your BMI is 35 or above and you have conditions like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. But do not assume access is immediate: rollout is patchy, waiting lists are real, and your surgery may not be taking part.
Beyond weight loss: hair loss, ED, TRT and blood testing
- Hair loss: combined oral minoxidil plus finasteride remains a common non-surgical route, but the MHRA's safety warning on finasteride mood and sexual side effects still matters when comparing clinics.
- Erectile dysfunction: the online market stays crowded and cheap, with generic sildenafil and long-acting tadalafil available from registered pharmacies.
- TRT: private testosterone clinics keep growing, but pricing and monitoring standards vary a lot between providers.
- Blood testing: at-home diagnostics keeps drawing money, alongside a £237m NHS push to open more community diagnostic centres.
The pipeline: what is coming after the pill
- Foundayo (orforglipron): Lilly's once-daily oral GLP-1 has no food-or-water restrictions in trial framing, with realistic UK availability still likely late 2026 into 2027.
- Wegovy 7.2mg: the higher-dose injection has UK regulatory approval and narrowed the gap with Mounjaro in trials, but still needs NICE cost review for wide NHS use.
- Retatrutide: the record-setting triple agonist is still in Phase 3 and years from routine UK prescribing.
Women's health updates
- Menopause on the NHS: menopause is being built into the NHS Health Check in England from 2026 and is a priority area for the new NHS Online service expected in 2027.
- Women's health hubs: local hubs are bringing menopause and reproductive care closer to home.
- Healthtech funding: UK digital health investment keeps flowing, with more funding and acquisition activity across the sector.
Medical disclaimer
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Prescription medicines require assessment by a qualified healthcare professional. Do not start, stop or switch treatment based on a news article.
