Price rise for Mounjaro raises concerns after user says weight‑loss jab 'gave me my life back'

A woman who says the weight‑loss injection Mounjaro "gave her life back" is reconsidering treatment after the drug's US manufacturer announced a substantial list‑price increase that could push costs up for patients.

Sammi Hill, 33, told the BBC she had spent years in a "dark hole" after gaining about 8st (51.8kg) following the births of two daughters now aged four and five. Diagnosed with depression, she said she avoided socialising, took hardly any photographs for five years and "couldn't stand to look" in a mirror before starting Mounjaro last year. The mother of three said the medication helped restore her confidence and motivation, and that the recent price rise could harm the mental health of people trying to improve their lives.

Last month the US manufacturer announced it would raise the list price of the drug by as much as 170%. That announcement suggested the cost of the highest dose might increase in the UK from about £122 a month to as much as £330 a month. The BBC understands the highest dose will now be sold to suppliers for £247.50 a month.

Hill said she was worried about whether she could continue the treatment at the higher price, and that other people who rely on the drug to manage weight and related mental‑health issues could face similar dilemmas. "It literally gave me my life back," she said. "The thought of losing that because of cost is worrying."

The price figures announced by the manufacturer reflect list prices and the company's term for the change in wholesale pricing; the figure for suppliers does not necessarily translate directly into the final cost paid by individual patients, which can be affected by local suppliers, clinicians and any applicable reimbursement arrangements.

Health‑care professionals and patient groups have previously warned that rapid changes in availability and cost of newer weight‑loss medications can affect access and continuity of care for people who have seen benefits from treatment. For many patients, changes to treatment — whether because of side effects, clinical advice or cost — can carry implications for physical and mental health, clinicians say.

Hill said she was considering whether she could afford to continue, and that the uncertainty itself had been distressing. "When something helps you this much, knowing you might have to stop — it messes with your head," she told the BBC.

The manufacturer did not immediately respond to requests for further comment. The developments come amid growing public attention to newer injectable treatments marketed for weight loss, and ongoing discussion among health services, prescribers and patient groups about cost, access and clinical guidance for their use.