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Is Mounjaro Available In The UK? Everything You Need To Know
Is Mounjaro Available In The UK? Everything You Need To Know
Dr. Zoë Lees (PhD)
Dr. Sophie Dix (BSc, PhD)
22 March 2024 | Updated: 25 July 2026
25 July 2026
There’s been a lot of discussion online about the availability of injectable weight loss treatments in recent months. Among them, you might have heard the name Mounjaro.
Article Summary
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a once-weekly injection used for weight loss and type 2 diabetes. It helps to control blood sugar and reduce appetite.
- Mounjaro requires a prescription from a healthcare professional.
- Mounjaro may be available following a free online consultation where UK-regulated clinicians verify your eligibility (including BMI and medical history.
What is Mounjaro?
Many popular weight loss medications, like Wegovy, belong to a class called GLP-1 agonists. These treatments mimic a natural hormone in your body called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which helps regulate blood sugar by stimulating insulin release after eating.
Mounjaro works slightly differently. It’s the brand name for tirzepatide, a medication that mimics two gut hormones, GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). Together, these hormones help control appetite, improve blood sugar regulation and increase feelings of fullness.
Taken as an injection once a week, Mounjaro has been shown in clinical trials to help people lose an average of 22.5% of their body weight in 72 weeks (1 year, 5 months), while also supporting better management of obesity-related health concerns. [1] It’s most effective as a weight loss treatment when combined with diet and lifestyle changes.
Approval and Availability of Mounjaro in the UK
In the UK, Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is approved for the management of type 2 diabetes and obesity by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Who Can Use Mounjaro?
You’re eligible to take Mounjaro if you have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 and above, and you may be eligible if you have a BMI of 27 and above in the presence of a weight-related health condition. These related concerns include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol.
Mounjaro isn’t suitable for you if you have:
- Severe kidney or liver problems
- Type 1 diabetes
- A personal or family medical history of thyroid cancers or certain genetic conditions
- An allergy to tirzepatide or any other ingredients
- You’re pregnant or breastfeeding
Common Mounjaro Side Effects
Side effects are common when using Mounjaro, but tend to improve over time for most people. The most common side effects of tirzepatide, when used for weight loss and weight management, include:
- Nausea (up to 33%)
- Diarrhoea (up to 23%)
- Constipation (up to 17%)
- Vomiting (up to 12%)
- Indigestion (up to 11%)
Other common side effects include: injection site reactions, dizziness, stomach pain, bloating, gas, fatigue, hair loss and increased heart rate.
Side effects like constipation and indigestion can be managed with simple lifestyle changes, like increasing your fibre and water intake. If possible, increasing your physical activity can help manage these side effects and also support your weight loss journey.
It's essential to monitor any side effects and consult your clinical team if they persist or worsen. You can learn more about side effects in your patient information leaflet, which arrives with each pen.
Is Mounjaro Available Without a Prescription?
The short answer is no. Buying Mounjaro in the UK is always subject to a medical consultation, which ensures you meet the clinical criteria for weight loss treatment. This means that, to use Mounjaro, you’ll need a prescription from a healthcare professional.
Before prescribing Mounjaro, our clinical team verifies your identity, BMI and other health conditions you may have to make sure the treatment is right for you. These steps are in place to safeguard you and ensure that you use Mounjaro in the most effective way.
How Do I Get Mounjaro Online?
Mounjaro is available from MedExpress without any in-person appointment or subscription. Your consultation is free and 100% online. This involves answering some simple questions about your health to receive your recommended treatment and free prescription from our UK medical team, if you’re eligible.
Starting Weight Loss Treatment
Weight loss injections need to be prescribed by a healthcare professional who assesses whether these medications are right for you.
Find out what treatment is suitable for you by taking a free online consultation with MedExpress.
References
- Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, Wharton S, Connery L, Alves B, et al. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine [Internet]. 2022 Jun 4;387(3):205–16. Available from: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
- Four-dose Mounjaro “KwikPen” approved by MHRA for diabetes and weight management [Internet]. GOV.UK. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/four-dose-mounjaro-kwikpen-approved-by-mhra-for-diabetes-and-weight-management
Next scheduled review date: 25 July 2029
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Authors
Written by: Dr. Zoë Lees (PhD)
Dr. Zoë Lees is a medical writer at MedExpress specialising in obesity and health communication. She completed her PhD at the University of Glasgow, where she investigated adipose tissue (fat tissue) function in pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. Her work focuses on translating complex clinical evidence into clear, engaging and evidence-based health information for patients and the public. At MedExpress, Zoë contributes to clinical content, educational resources and media communications across areas including weight management, GLP-1 therapies and metabolic disease. Zoë is particularly interested in improving public understanding of obesity as a chronic condition and ensuring patients have access to accurate, accessible health information grounded in current scientific evidence.
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Sophie Dix (BSc, PhD)
Dr. Sophie Dix is Head of Medical Affairs at MedExpress. A behavioural neuroscientist by training, Sophie has spent 30 years working at the intersection of medical research, pharmacology, technology and patient communication across the pharmaceutical industry, health technology and charity sectors. At MedExpress, Sophie's role is to ensure that everything the organisation does is grounded in the most current science. That means translating complex clinical evidence into accessible health information across the website, clinical pathways and media communications. It also means working with external press and broadcast media as a named expert commentator, making the science behind weight management and GLP-1 treatments understandable to a general audience. A core part of Sophie's work is building MedExpress's Real-World Evidence (RWE) programme: learning systematically from patient outcomes to understand what works in practice, not just in clinical trials. This patient-level insight feeds directly into improving patient experience and health outcomes. Sophie believes that patients make better decisions when they have access to accurate, evidence-based information. As an advocate for meaningful change in how obesity is understood, Sophie works to reduce stigma and raise awareness of the condition as an illness. This includes reframing the conversation around GLP-1s from aesthetics to public health, while highlighting the health benefits of weight loss and weight management.
Note from the experts
Remember: This blog shouldn’t be regarded as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We make sure everything we publish is fact checked by clinical experts and regularly reviewed, but it may not always reflect the most recent health guidelines. Always speak to your doctor about any health concerns you have.