Obesity has been dubbed the "disease of the 21st century" by doctors, nutritionists, sports coaches, and physiotherapists. After years of being largely overlooked, the issue has sparked increasing discussion in international media. Policymakers and experts are grappling with ways to influence people’s weight and improve public health. A novel, albeit somewhat controversial, proposal has been introduced by UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

In a recent article published by The Telegraph, Streeting highlighted the economic and health impacts of obesity, noting that the condition places a significant burden on the National Health Service (NHS). "Our widening waistbands are also placing significant burden on our health service, costing the NHS £11billion a year – even more than smoking," Streeting said. " And it’s holding back our economy. Illness caused by obesity causes people to take an extra four sick days a year on average, while many others are forced out of work altogether."

Streeting outlined plans for NHS reforms aimed at fostering closer collaboration with the life sciences sector to develop new, more effective treatments for obesity. "The long-term benefits of these drugs could be monumental in our approach to tackling obesity," he explained. "For many people, these jabs will be life-changing, help them get back to work and ease the demands on our NHS."

As part of this strategy, Streeting has proposed providing free access to next-generation weight-loss drugs, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide—marketed as Ozempic and Mounjaro—to unemployed individuals struggling with obesity. The proposed solution aims to help reduce obesity rates, improve public health, and ultimately facilitate the return of many Britons to the workforce.

On Tuesday, 15 October 2024, Wes Streeting's proposal was commented on by the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"I think these drugs could be very important for our economy and for health. This drug will be very helpful to people who want to lose weight, need to lose weight, very important for the economy so people can get back into work. Very important for the NHS because, as I’ve said time and again, yes, we need more money for our NHS, but we’ve got to think differently. We’ve got to reduce the pressure on the NHS. So this will help in all of those areas," Starmer said in an appearance on the BBC.

The issue of free provision of weight loss drugs for the unemployed has attracted the interest of Dr Dolly van Tulleken, an obesity policy specialist and visiting researcher at the MRC epidemiology unit at the University of Cambridge.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the researcher said: "There are some serious ethical, financial and efficacy considerations with such an approach… Such as looking at people, or measuring people based on their potential economic value, rather than primarily based on their needs and their health needs."

"It’s incredibly important that people in the UK access healthcare based on their health need rather than their potential economic value," she added.

Source: The Guardian