The first weight loss jab approved for use in the UK was not Ozempic, although that’s the one most people have heard of.
It was in fact Saxenda, launched in 2017, followed by Ozempic in 2019, Semaglutide in 2023, and Mounjaro finally in 2024.
Ozempic may be the most famous one, thanks in large part to its celebrity endorsements and popularity among Hollywood stars, but the rise of weight loss injections hasn’t stopped stateside.
New data was published in January of this year that shows the 2023/2024 NHS distribution of weight loss injections across the UK, and highlights the areas where the prescriptions are at their highest.
The data shows Leicester is the NHS Trust which provides the highest number of weight loss jab prescriptions, with almost 2,000 drugs prescribed each month, accounting for one in every 400 prescriptions across the whole UK.
NHS Manchester prescribed 2,491 semaglutide injections by October 2024, costing an estimated £225, 685.
While NHS Salford prescribed 806 by the same month, costing £69, 502.
By comparison, one of the least prescribed areas is NHS Vale of York, which by October 2024 had ordered 331 items, costing £27,578.
So, what does taking an infamous weight loss drug injection drug actually entail?
Rhian Hughes, a 27 year old NHS worker and Salford resident, started taking Mounjaro in October 2024, after her sister had amazing results from semaglutide, with limited side effects.
“The weight loss started for me within the first week. For the first six months I was losing over two pounds a week.”
When Rhian started, she was 20 stone 7 pounds. She lost five and a half stone in the first six months, and says her weight loss has slowed down since, as is expected. She plans to continue taking Mounjaro for the next 13 months, or until she reaches the healthy BMI 25 mark.
Rhian injects Mounjaro into her thigh every Thursday; despite official advice recommending the stomach, she finds the thigh easier.
“I started off taking it on a Sunday, but had to alter my schedule a bit as side effects would peak around 48 hours after, and would interfere with my working week.”
Rhian’s immediate side effects included gastrointestinal upset and nausea 24 hours after the first dose, but have faded over time as her body adjusted. Side effects from low calorie intake like hair loss and dizziness started from month three, and are still ongoing.
More recently released data from NHS England also reveals that from May 2024 – April 2025, the number of semaglitude items prescribed across the entire country were 1,597,469, costing £145, 412, 860.
Doctors report one in 10 UK women now take Ozempic, and this number is only set to grow as displays of rapid weight loss become more common on social media, in the press, and in everyday life.
Which means weight loss injection prescriptions will increase rapidly, as the size of the people using them decrease…
Photo cred: Rhian Hughes
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