Responding to a report by the Health and Social Care Select Committee warning of a 'two-tier system' of access for weight management services, Henry Gregg, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association said:
"We agree with MPs that the NHS rollout remains extremely slow, with many people who could benefit from treatment being unable to access it.
"Community pharmacy is ready to support a wider rollout, which will help eligible patients access treatment safely and help mitigate the impact of obesity on the NHS. This includes high street pharmacies, a number of whom provide weight management services.
"Pharmacies are well placed to deliver this service and already treat the vast majority of patients accessing this treatment in the UK.
"Not only does this slow NHS roll out create a postcode lottery for patients but it also inadvertently helps to fuel a growing black market for unlicensed or counterfeit versions of GLP-1 treatments."
