@ChrisMayLA6 I suspect the news is bad for the acute sector budget, as that is where pharmaceutical costs lie. The public health budget has very little expenditure on drugs as almost of of its work is on keeping an eye of what is going on, and advising on policy to improve thevoublica health. See the Wales 20mph limit for a classic example, or the routine childhood immunisation programme where the supplies costs are trivial compared to the savings both in the healthcare budget and human terms!

@ChrisMayLA6 all we have to do is wait the 20 (30?) years for the patents to expire and we can move everyone to generic versions

@ChrisMayLA6 I suppose that if in that period of weight loss you can use the time to develop healthier dietary and exercise habits it may still be useful. But I fear that for a proportion diet and exercise may not be so easy to apply. Yes, it's the golden ticket for the manufacturers - 'customers' for life.

@ChrisMayLA6 But they reduce the risk of things like kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, right? So for some patient groups it's going to be budget neutral or positive.

@ChrisMayLA6 therefore it is no more than a financial punishment for fat people. a new fat tax.