Across the United Kingdom, patients relying on the weight-loss drug Mounjaro are facing a perfect storm: surging demand, empty pharmacy shelves, and a looming price hike that’s left many scrambling. The situation, which has unfolded rapidly in the last week of August 2025, has exposed the vulnerabilities of the country’s supply chain for new, in-demand medications—and the very real anxieties of patients whose health depends on them.
It all began with an announcement from Eli Lilly, the US pharmaceutical giant behind Mounjaro. The company revealed that, effective September 1, 2025, the price of the highest dose of the drug would skyrocket by up to 170%, leaping from £122 to £330 for a month’s supply. According to BBC News and The Independent, this decision was partly aimed at aligning UK prices more closely with other European markets and was influenced by political pressure from the United States to keep domestic drug prices low. As the news broke, patients and pharmacies alike braced for impact.
The response was immediate and, in some cases, frantic. Patients began stockpiling the medication, fearing either a prolonged shortage or the financial strain of the new prices. Pharmacies, both online and on the high street, saw a surge in orders. Major chains such as Boots, Lloyds Pharmacy, and Superdrug quickly reported shortages, with Superdrug’s website posting a blunt message: “Due to extremely high demand nationwide, we are experiencing delays with stock of Mounjaro.” The company said it was prioritizing existing patients and hoped to start accepting new orders the following week.
For some, the scramble for Mounjaro has been more than just an inconvenience. Lynne Massey-Davis, a 65-year-old from East Yorkshire, described to BBC News the “stressful” ordeal of trying to fill her prescription. After her usual online provider failed to deliver, she paid £349 to another, only to find they too were out of stock—an experience she called “unethical.” Lynne, who started taking Mounjaro fifteen months ago with a BMI of 32 and now boasts a BMI of 26, said, “I’m in a holding queue. It’s a very uncertain time. I’ve spent a lot of time on the phone.” Despite the setbacks, she’s determined to stay safe and has even arranged to share a friend’s doses until her own supply arrives.
Marie Cook, 49, from East London, faces a similar predicament. After a year on Mounjaro, she’s lost 3.5 stones and come off insulin for her type 2 diabetes. Now, with just one week’s injections left and her local chemist unable to fill her prescription, she’s visited six other pharmacies in vain. “It’s frustrating. We have true medical problems, we should come first,” she told BBC News, hoping her diabetic nurse might have a solution.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents around 6,500 community pharmacies nationwide, has been sounding the alarm. According to chief executive Henry Gregg, “This increase in the cost of Mounjaro has caused understandable concern to patients and pharmacies alike and has resulted in short term pressures on supply.” He warned patients against bulk ordering, emphasizing that it “can have a significant impact on supply and pose a potential risk to patient safety.” The NPA’s chair, Olivier Picard, echoed the sentiment in The Independent, noting, “The situation is dire at the moment. I have had patients from online pharmacies and other brick and mortar pharmacies coming in, phoning around, asking ‘Have you got it? I need a supply and my supplier has no stock.’”
The surge in demand hasn’t just affected Mounjaro. Rival weight-loss drugs, particularly Wegovy, have seen their sales soar—by as much as 2,600% at some suppliers, according to The Independent. Pharmacy 2U reported a “significant short-term surge” in Mounjaro orders, while Simple Online Pharmacy paused sales to new patients and capped supplies at four weeks per patient to prevent hoarding. Abdal Alvi, chief clinical officer at Simple Online Healthcare, said demand for all GLP-1 medications (the drug class including both Mounjaro and Wegovy) had risen by 400% since the price hike announcement.
Yet, switching drugs isn’t a simple fix. Pharmacists like Sehar Shahid, who runs 24hrpharmacy.co.uk in Paisley, cautioned that switching to alternatives like Wegovy should only be done under medical supervision, with a recommended one-week wash-out period between medications. “These drugs are not for people who want to lose a few pounds before their holiday,” she added, warning against advice from unqualified social media influencers and urging patients to stick to professional guidance.
For many patients, the benefits of Mounjaro are undeniable—even in the face of side effects. Take Rhiannon Anne Griffiths-Bowen, a 26-year-old mother from Swansea. Since starting Mounjaro at the end of April, she’s lost over two stone, dropping her BMI from 41 to 35. But the journey hasn’t been without bumps. “I was losing a handful of hair in the shower after taking Mounjaro,” she told The Independent. Despite the hair loss—a common side effect affecting up to one in ten users, according to Eli Lilly—she’s pressed on, managing the issue with vitamin B7 (biotin) supplements. “It’s not dramatically impacting my life. I’m lucky, it’s not thinning my hair, and I don’t notice it in the mirror. At the moment, it’s not really impacting me to the point where I’m like ‘right, I’m going to have to stop this now.’”
Rhiannon’s experience highlights another challenge: the need for better clinical support for patients purchasing weight-loss drugs, especially those buying privately online. She believes pharmacies should do more to listen to customer feedback and provide advice on managing side effects. “Anything that the manufacturers or the pharmacies know could be linked to the drugs as side effects, then they should offer better support on how people can cope and then follow up after taking advice,” she said.
In June, the NHS began offering Mounjaro through GP surgeries for those with the greatest need—specifically, patients with a BMI over 35 and a weight-related health condition. However, with an estimated 1.5 million people in the UK taking weight-loss jabs, most are still paying privately, leaving many vulnerable to market fluctuations and supply chain hiccups.
Eli Lilly, for its part, has tried to reassure patients and providers. The company said it has “allocations in place for pharmacies and providers that order stock from them,” and that “there are legal protections in place, enforced by the MHRA [UK drugs regulator], to prevent inappropriate stockpiling of medicines by providers.” The message to patients is clear: only order based on your current treatment plan to reduce the risk of localised disruption.
As early September approaches, pharmacies expect supplies to stabilize once new stock is released and the initial rush subsides. But for patients like Lynne, Marie, and Rhiannon, the past few weeks have been a stark reminder of the precariousness that can come with relying on breakthrough medications—especially when market forces, political pressures, and health needs collide.
For now, the advice from experts is consistent: avoid panic buying, steer clear of unlicensed sellers, consult healthcare professionals before making any changes, and keep up healthy habits. As the dust settles, the hope is that lessons learned will lead to better support and more resilient supply chains for those who need these life-changing treatments most.
