Weight-loss jabs could be sold for as little as £20 a month as more drugmakers may soon be free to produce cut-price alternatives to the medications, a trade body has suggested.
Firm Novo Nordisk’s global patent is set to expire in parts of the world from early 2026, allowing cut-price “generic” versions of Wegovy and Ozempic to be sold by other companies, according to reports.
The popularity of weight-loss jabs has soared in the past year as they are used in efforts to tackle obesity, with around 1.5 million people, 4 per cent of households, currently using them in the UK.
Some of the jabs cannot be prescribed for weight loss on the NHS, while others can be – but there are strict eligibility criteria. Therefore, estimates suggest that about 90 per cent of people on the medication pay for them privately online and via high street pharmacies.
Consequently, Britons can end up forking out hundreds of pounds for the drugs. At Boots online pharmacy, for example, the current monthly cost for Wegovy’s lowest dosage of 0.25mg a week is £125.10, rising to £206.00 for the highest dosage of 2.4mg.
But from early 2026 in India, Canada, China, Brazil and Turkey, and from 2031 in the UK, Novo Nordisk’s patent will expire, allowing other companies to produce their own “generic” versions, according to Medicines UK, which represents manufacturers.
And concerns have been raised that Britons might end up buying cut-price imports online before 2031, fuelling an unregulated market.
Medicines UK, which represents makers of generic medications, said generic medicines usually cost 70 to 90 per cent less than branded versions, yet contain the same active ingredients – which, in the case of both Wegovy and Ozempic, is the appetite-suppressant semaglutide – and treat patients in the same way.
Robert Russell-Pavier, director of policy and economics at Medicines UK, told the Daily Mail: “We advise against purchasing from overseas pharmacies, or travelling abroad to buy cut-price jabs. Whether prescribed and taken in the UK or elsewhere, access to semaglutide should be through a prescription. Those taking the treatment should be regularly checking in with the doctor or other healthcare professionals that prescribed it.
“However, the advent of generics will create competition, and it’s likely we’ll see a significant reduction in prices here too.”
David Wallace, senior analyst at pharmaceutical firm Citeline, said he expects semaglutide competition “to be very healthy”.
He added: “Since generic medicinal products contain well-known, safe and effective substances, the pre-clinical tests and clinical trials performed by the originator are not repeated, which is why they are cheaper.”
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk told The Independent: “All intellectual property decisions are carefully considered at a global level. Periods of exclusivity for pharmaceutical products end as part of their normal lifecycle and generic treatments may become available over time.
“Currently, no Health Canada-approved generic versions of semaglutide exist and we cannot speculate on other manufacturers’ plans. Novo Nordisk is the only company in Canada with Health Canada-approved products containing semaglutide.
“Novo Nordisk Canada is well equipped to navigate the evolving market landscape that accompanies loss of exclusivity for semaglutide. The company remains committed to supporting both healthcare professionals and patients by facilitating informed choices and continuing to address the considerable unmet needs of individuals living with type 2 diabetes and obesity.”
They described the comments made by Medicines UK as “speculative” and “made by individuals representing the generic medicines industry, who have no direct knowledge or influence over the pricing of our medicines”.
They added: “We have previously confirmed that we currently have no plans of changing our offering in the UK. Our focus is on supporting patients, and we are committed to securing the broadest possible access for patients to our innovative medicines.”
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