Rising Use of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Great Britain: Opportunities and Challenges

GLP-1 receptor agonists are now used by an estimated 1.6 million people in England, Wales and Scotland, a UCL study finds.

Prevalence now markedly exceeds past prescribing patterns and targets, and public interest extends to many more considering these medications. Much of this demand is being met privately rather than through routine prescribing; commonly accessed agents include semaglutide and tirzepatide formulations (for example, Wegovy and Mounjaro). That shift has direct implications for primary-care workload, including medication review and monitoring.

Reported interest and use appear greater among disadvantaged groups, suggesting uptake may reflect unmet need where obesity prevalence is higher. The pattern raises concerns about disparities in access to therapies and in the ancillary supports patients typically receive when treatment is initiated within clinical care.

Unsupervised access creates safety risks: missing baseline screening, unmonitored adverse effects, and uncertainty about drug sourcing. Continuity-of-care gaps follow when patients obtain treatment outside clinical oversight and later present with problems, increasing the burden on primary care for assessment, management and reconciliation.

The combination of high prevalence, concentration of demand in disadvantaged populations, and unsupervised use presents a practical challenge for clinicians and services preparing to respond at scale.