Thousands of Scotland’s poorest residents are set to receive free weight-loss injections in a landmark government-funded trial, as officials and scientists join forces to tackle the nation’s growing obesity crisis. The initiative, spearheaded by the University of Glasgow and supported by a host of public and private partners, will see up to 5,000 people from some of Scotland’s most deprived communities offered access to Wegovy, a medication that mimics the effects of natural hormones known as incretins.
According to BBC News, the Scotland CardioMetabolic Impact Study (SCoMIS) represents a multi-million-pound investment, with an initial £650,000 already committed by the UK government. The project aims to deliver these weight-loss medicines through everyday NHS care, focusing on communities where obesity rates are highest and health inequalities are most acute.
The scale of the problem is staggering. As reported by The Scotsman, about one in three adults in Scotland is obese, and in some deprived areas, such as Govan and Pollok, the figure rises to nearly half. Public Health Scotland projects that the number of adults living with excess weight will surge even further by 2040. The health consequences are grave: obesity is a leading cause of chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer, placing immense pressure on the NHS and contributing to billions in healthcare costs each year.
Dr Zubir Ahmed, the UK Health Innovation Minister and Labour MP for Glasgow South West, has been a vocal champion of the trial. He told the Daily Record, “More than 1 in 3 adults in Scotland’s most deprived areas are living with obesity. The UK government is committed to tackling inequality wherever it finds it in our country. It’s why this landmark UK government investment is targeting help where it’s needed most in Scotland and meeting people where they are and backing helping the NHS services they trust to treat them.”
Ahmed, a practicing NHS surgeon, has not shied away from calling obesity a “disease of poverty.” He explained, “Obesity has become, in the 21st century, a disease of poverty rather than of affluence. At the moment, what happens is if you can afford it, you go and get yourself a drug online or a private prescription and if you can’t afford it you suffer. It is certainly the Labour government exploring ways we can make weight loss drugs, access to weight loss drugs, more equitable across society.”
The trial will provide free access to Wegovy, a medication that can cost over £100 per month privately, according to the Daily Record. While around 2.5 million people in Britain are estimated to use weight loss jabs currently on the market, critics have pointed out that limited NHS availability has created a two-tier system based on ability to pay. The SCoMIS trial aims to address this disparity by making the drugs available to those who need them most, regardless of income.
The study is designed to answer four critical questions, as outlined by Jason Gill, professor of cardiometabolic health at Glasgow University and lead of the SCoMIS consortium. According to The Scotsman, Gill said, “It will test how weight-loss medicines can be delivered effectively and fairly in everyday NHS care. It will measure the level of weight loss and improvements in quality of life, particularly for patients in disadvantaged areas. It will examine the impact on obesity-related illness, NHS use and overall healthcare costs. And it will explore whether better health through weight loss can help people stay in work, reduce sick leave and take a fuller part in society.”
Participants will be drawn from the most economically deprived communities in Scotland, with a focus on ensuring equitable access to the latest medical advances. Most of the 5,000 people enrolled will receive the medication, while a placebo will be used for others, as reported by the Daily Record. The trial will also explore the potential for anti-obesity drugs to reduce the number of Scots on sickness benefits and help people return to work. Dr Ahmed noted, “There is definitely, I think, potential to be using these medications and for there to be a benefit in terms of getting people back to work.”
The injections themselves work by mimicking or boosting the effects of incretins, hormones that help control blood sugar, reduce hunger, and slow the rate at which the stomach empties. This action can help people living with obesity better regulate their eating habits and, potentially, improve their overall health outcomes. Dr Ahmed also highlighted the possibility that the medications could help people drink less alcohol and eat less junk food.
Government officials from across the political spectrum have praised the initiative. Jenni Minto, Scottish Minister for Public Health, said, “This study places patients and communities at the heart of cutting-edge research into weight-loss medicines, ensuring we build the evidence needed to deliver the greatest benefit to those who need it most.” UK Science Minister Lord Vallance echoed this sentiment, stating, “Scotland has always been at the forefront of medical innovation and public health, and this initiative is further proof of the world-class expertise that can be found here. By learning how these weight-loss medicines work, and how we can support them to reach our most deprived areas, we can slash health inequalities in Scotland and the rest of the UK so that our obesity strategy delivers a real, lasting change.”
Industry leaders are also deeply involved in the project. Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical firm behind Wegovy, is providing the medication free of charge for the trial, while clinical trial provider IQVIA is helping to oversee the study’s logistics. The Universities of Dundee and Edinburgh are also key partners, and the project will make use of AI-driven digital technologies to support patient access, engagement, and data collection, according to BBC News.
The SCoMIS trial is expected to launch in 2026, with further funding planned through 2029. The hope is that, if successful, the study could pave the way for a wider rollout of weight-loss injections throughout Scotland and potentially the rest of the UK. Dr Ahmed, when asked whether he would like to see weight-loss drugs become free at the point of use, responded, “In principle, I think that is a direction of travel I’d want to explore… because I think it’s likely that these medications are going to reduce chronic disease in the long term, and are actually going to then reduce the burden on the NHS.”
Obesity experts have welcomed the trial as a vital step forward. Professor Naveed Sattar, chair of the UK Obesity Healthcare Goals Programme, told the Daily Record, “Obesity has become the most pressing challenge in modern medicine. The growing recognition of the need for more clinical trials – designed to assess both the benefits and safety of new treatments in the communities most affected – is a hugely welcome and necessary step forward.”
As Scotland takes this bold step to address one of its most persistent public health challenges, the eyes of the UK—and indeed the world—will be watching to see whether targeted, equitable access to cutting-edge medicines can help reverse the tide of obesity and transform lives in the country’s most disadvantaged communities.
