Mounjaro, like other GLP-1 drugs, carries potential side effects, including nausea, vomiting, dehydration, and hypoglycaemia – especially when misused or taken alongside other diabetes treatments like insulin. This raises the likelihood of increased A&E admissions, further straining emergency services.

The skyrocketing popularity of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy, one of a class of drugs called GLP-1s, is fast becoming a state budgetary concern. In deciding whether to cover the medications, policymakers must choose between the long-term benefits of reducing obesity among public employees and their families—which could cut spending on the treatment of chronic diseases—and the short-term costs.

As demand for weight-loss injections sold under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy continues to soar, a study has uncovered neurological and behavioral health benefits amid risks for pancreatitis and kidney disease.