Pair give clear indication they are looking at using it on all ‘overweight’ people too, to ‘ease the burden on the NHS’
Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting are planning a major war on people they consider to be overweight – starting with unemployed people and with a clear indication they intend widening it to the general population – by forcing them to take a weight-loss drug that is known to have fatal side-effects. ‘BMI’ (Body Mass Index), which the NHS uses to determine obesity, is a deeply flawed measure whose creator specifically said should not be used as a measure of fatness and which is used by healthcare companies to deny treatment or raise prices.
The new scheme will also massively enrich drug manufacturer Lilly, which produces Tirzepatide, also marketed as ‘Mounjaro’, which will be charging around £30 a dose initially given to 3,000 people but eventually to millions:
Streeting’s comments about the ‘burden on the NHS’ and the ‘need’ for people to ‘take responsibility for themselves’ clearly flag the medium-term right-wing goal of extending the rationing of treatment – already growing massively under the perverse incentives of the ‘Integrated Care’ plan started by the Tories and continued by Starmer’s Labour – to any patients whose lifestyles are assumed to have contributed to their ill health, withering the NHS to only treat a minimal range of conditions.
But Tirzepatide is already known to have fatal side effects among those taking it, including cancer and pancreatitis – and with worse side effects for those already ill, who are included in the scheme because the trial will include people on sick leave:
The drug’s effects on the foetuses of pregnant women are also unknown.
The US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) notes that fatal ‘adverse events’ and other extreme reactions can affect ‘up to 1%’ of people taking the drug – one study found 0.6%. This may not sound like a high proportion, but 1% of the initial trial of 3,000 guinea pigs would already be thirty people. If extended to, say 500,000, that would mean as many as five thousand people with severe adverse consequences or death.
And the drug has far higher levels of other unpleasant side effects, according to NCBI, with as many as half of those taking it suffering stomach issues, less severe pancreatic or gall bladder problems or a fall in blood sugar levels. Adverse psychiatric effects were also noted in 1.18% of those taking the drug – again, a non-insignificant rate, especially if large numbers of people are made to take it. These adverse effects were generally lower than those found with ‘glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist’ weight-loss drugs, but those are not what Starmer and Streeting are proposing to make people take.
The narrative that the cost or burden to the NHS is the fault of overweight people and smokers is both pernicious and false. Pernicious because it acts as the ‘thin end of the wedge’ and the same argument can be extended to other conditions, including cancer, by any future government that feels inclined to make people ‘responsible’ for them’; false because the special taxes on tobacco and VAT on food brings in billions in revenue for the UK Treasury – and because may who indulge are likely to die earlier and therefore receive less in pensions and other state support.
Analysis by the director of Sheffield Department of Public Health also exposes the toxic effects of such a policy, in an article that pre-dates the Labour announcement, including widening health inequalities, ‘creep’ of the use of the drug and the wider application of similar policies, adverse health impacts and likely loss of muscle mass instead of fat.
Those who haven’t been paying attention might think that the government would never force something on people that it knew could damage or kill them. But the rationing of treatment, as noted, has been going on – and increasing – for years – and the Starmer government has cut the Winter Fuel Allowance for ten million pensioners despite knowing, from its own analysis, that it will kill four thousand or more people every winter. Like its blue-Tory predecessors, the red-Tory government has shown itself not to be averse to policies that will lead to avoidable deaths.
And it will be forced onto people: to have any meaningful impact as either a trial or full programme those taking it will be coerced to do so. In the case of benefit claimants, they will be told their benefits will be stopped – a tactic that has already been used to force claimants to act as guinea pigs – and in the wider roll-out, access to treatment will be made conditional on accepting the drug.
Lilly in the US has donated large sums to political candidates, weighted heavily toward candidates of the Republican party, which opposes free healthcare for all and even the watered down ‘Obamacare’. Keir Starmer, Wes Streeting and Labour’s front bench have accepted large donations from private healthcare companies and interests.
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“£30 a dose” … nice little earner for a ‘friend’ I bet
It’s prescription-only and charged at $1,060 per month in the US. Wes must have got a good deal from Eli Lilly? Alarm bells are ringing…
It appears that Eli Lilly will be funding a good proportion of the cost, no doubt further details will emerge in the coming days.
Government to spend £300m on weight-loss drug trials
Nearly £300 million will be invested in trials for weight-loss jabs under a new partnership between the government and a US pharmaceutical company.
Eli Lilly, which is thought to be the world’s biggest pharmaceutical company, announced that it will provide £279 million to fund research into ways to tackle the UK’s obesity crisis.
It will involve a five-year trial in Manchester testing the effectiveness of the weight-loss jab Mounjaro, or tirzepatide, the main rival to Ozempic.
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/weight-loss-jab-trial-obesity-crisis-zw700pb6s
“The original press release from the Department of Health and Social Care made clear that the money would be coming from Lilly, not the government. It stated: “The UK’s world-leading life sciences sector will receive a £279 million boost to tackle significant health challenges, with an intent expressed by Lilly, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, to invest in the UK as part of a collaborative partnership with UK government.”
The Department of Health and Social Care also confirmed to Full Fact that the £279 million will be funded “entirely by Lilly”.
A spokesperson confirmed: “No taxpayer money will be given to the company as part of the announced collaboration.”
https://fullfact.org/health/nhs-weight-loss-injection-trial-lilly/
Well, let’s have a look at some figures:
The Office for National Statistics puts the over 18 population of the UK at around 55 million.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/timeseries/jn5q/lms
…..continued below:……..
……… Meanwhile……
UK Government Statistics…..
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/obesity-profile-update-may-2023/obesity-profile-short-statistical-commentary-may-2023
…..estimate that;
“In 2021 to 2022, 25.9% of adults aged 18 years and over in England were estimated to be living with obesity. This was an increase from 2020 to 2021 (25.2%).”
Whilst:
“In 2021 to 2022, 63.8% of adults aged 18 years and over in England were estimated to be overweight or living with obesity. This was an increase from 2020 to 2021 (63.3%).”
Assuming that the methodology for defining the terms Obesity and Overweight have validity.
Let’s just run with the lower Obese figure rather than the higher Overweight and Obese numbers to see how this pans out for investors like Eli Lilly:
25.9% of 55 million = 14.2 million (14, 245,000)
Using the £30 a dose quoted in the article would produce a monthly revenue for Eli Lilly of over £400 million (Approx. £5.1 billion a year).
However, just to be conservative let’s limit that number further by saying that Eli Lilly only get 10% of that 14.2 million obese Britons.
That’s still around a 45% (approx £510 million) profit in a single a year on the £279 million investment spread over 5 years of the trial (£55.8 million a year).
The Times, like just about everything else in the Collective Worst, is behind a paywall. However, I’ll wager the usual £1K of my limited pension that The Times article supplied by Billy does not supply the above figures for readers to make an informed judgement and assessment.
Dave – Which part of this being a 5yr trial did you fail to grasp?
Here are some further details.
https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/new-study-to-deepen-understanding-of-a-weight-loss-medication/
“Martin Rutter, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine, University of Manchester, and principal investigator for the Greater Manchester study, said: “This five-year real-world study aims to demonstrate the long-term efficacy and safety profile of tirzepatide in a primary care setting compared to usual care. It will specifically quantify the medicine’s long-term effects on obesity, diabetes incidence, and obesity-related complications, as well as its impacts on employment and health economic outcomes.”
Billy, which part of the concept of return on investment did you fail to grasp?
Your original post highlighted the fact that Eli Lilly (A private big pharma corporation) are investing (checks notes) £279 million into the overall project.
You do understand that private corporations invest money to make future profits, don’t you?
Perhaps not, judging by your silly little rant.
Dave – …………and ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
If only everyone else was as congenitally obtuse as you demonstrate yourself to be, Billy.
Dave – Why do you have a problem when this large scale trial is very likely to lead to both better outcomes for patients and considerable savings for the NHS.
Billy – and your evidence for this claim is what? Your Balls Crystal 1A?
Particularly given the already known facts on the side effects of the drug which is to be trialled.
Did you not bother reading this bit of the above article:
“But Tirzepatide is already known to have fatal side effects among those taking it, including cancer and pancreatitis – and with worse side effects for those already ill, who are included in the scheme because the trial will include people on sick leave:
The US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) notes that fatal ‘adverse events’ and other extreme reactions can affect ‘up to 1%’ of people taking the drug – one study found 0.6%. This may not sound like a high proportion, but 1% of the initial trial of 3,000 guinea pigs would already be thirty people. If extended to, say 500,000, that would mean as many as five thousand people with severe adverse consequences or death.
And the drug has far higher levels of other unpleasant side effects, according to NCBI, with as many as half of those taking it suffering stomach issues, less severe pancreatic or gall bladder problems or a fall in blood sugar levels. Adverse psychiatric effects were also noted in 1.18% of those taking the drug – again, a non-insignificant rate, especially if large numbers of people are made to take it.”
Or are you deliberately ignoring it because it does not fit your narrative?
You have no way of substantiating the claim you have made and are simply parroting a public realations narrative like a good little Stalinist.
https://skwawkbox.org/2024/10/17/the-trail-of-streetings-jabs4jobs-slimming-drug-company-is-littered-with-massive-lawsuits/
You were saying, Billy?
Betcha a Lilly rep had a word in Streeting’s ear during yesterday’s schmoozefest. And of course there will be NO behavioural modification element in this “drug”, we can rest assured!
Welcome to North Korea folks.
Russia is reportedly assembling a battalion of North Korean nationals to help push Ukraine’s forces out of Kursk.
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-north-korean-battalion-ukraine-1969429
In other ‘news’ from The Official Narrative Sources; Russia is running out of missiles for the umpteenth time and are still cannibalising washing machine chips; the Ukrainian invasion through Kursk is set to advance towards Moscow; Casualty figures are massively in favour of Ukraine; there are no neo-Nazis in Kiev; and Father Christmas works one day a year.
Its true what they say, there really is one born every minute.
Dave – You may have a point, corrupt fascist leaders like Putin rely on gullible idiots like you to spread their propaganda.
Billy, when you have demonstrated with substantive evidence the ability to distinguish between factual evidence and propaganda, you are welcome to come back and tell us all about it.
Until then, if you ever wish to obtain any credibility, it would probably be advisable for hypocrite’s such as yourself……
https://skwawkbox.org/2024/10/01/starmer-weeks-of-silence-over-israels-lebanon-terrorism-minutes-to-condemn-irans-retaliation/#comment-259433
…to desist from throwing stones. Particularly when you have already failed miserably on numerous occasions to substantiate your infantile evidence free smears.
Dave – I’m quite happy for others to judge for themselves whether you are one of Putin’s useless idiots or not and like me ponder how you manage to reconcile your self professed ‘socialist principles’ with your support of corrupt of authoritarian regimes.
And your evidence for this allegation is what, Billy?
Come on, don’t be shy. Let others here, as well as myself, see your evidence and hear your argument.
Otherwise, people will most certainly draw the obvious conclusion.
Dave – I wasn’t aware that I’d made any allegations.
Newsweek. According to Wiki, a publication mired in controversy with regular issues over their factual reporting;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsweek#Controversies
PW – If you don’t like Newsweek then please feel free to take your pick from the many other sources. 🥱
https://skwawkbox.org/2024/10/15/starmer-streeting-to-force-weight-loss-drug-with-known-fatal-side-effects-on-unemployed/#comment-260139
To reiterate, Billy:
“You keep repeating this allegation and slur, but what evidence do you have that any facts and evidence I have presented – much of it sourced from within the West and by Western politicians – is “propaganda”?
Where’s the beef? Present your case. Give us your evidence.
– The OSCE (Organisation for Security Cooperation in Europe) data on the shelling of the Russian speaking civilian population of the Donbass and subsequent numbers of civilian deaths is, according to your allegations, “Putin Propaganda”? And by definition, the OSCE must also be “Putin Propagandists”?
Really?
– That, according to your allegations, Merkal and Hollande must also be “Putin Propagandist’s for publicly stating that they and the Collective West entered the Minsk Agreements in bad faith; had no intention of implementing those agreements; and the agreements were only entered into to prepare the Ukrainian military to enter into conflict with the Russian Federation by proxy on behalf of the US. And, by your definition, their public statements to that effect are also “Putin Propaganda”?
Seriously?
– The well documented Myrotvorets site with the list of individuals it contains is, according to your allegation, a “Putin Propaganda” site. And the Ukrainian’s who administer it and the CIA who control it are “Putin Propagandists”?
Come again?
– That the public statement by the former head of NATO, Jan Stoltenburg, that the conflict in Ukraine began in 2014 not 2024 is “Putin Propaganda”. And therefore the now former head of NATO is a “Putin Propagandist”?
Yeah! Right! Okay!
– That arguing for the consistent application of universal principles to apply evenly to everyone – including Russian speakers, Palestinians, and other Countries outside the Collective West – such as the right to security, the right to self defence and the right to ask for assistance under the UN R2P (Right to Protect) provisions is “Putin Propaganda.”
On what planet, Billy?
If you had any evidence to support these unsubstantiated and childish smears, slanders and allegations, you would have presented it by now.
Repeating complete unsubstantiated and un-evidenced bollocks over and over again is simply the meaningless drivel of the school playground or the football terraces.
What it is not is grown up adult discourse.
So let’s hear it, Billy. Substantiate your allegation. Give us the beef. Present your argument and your evidence for all to see. The floor is yours. Go for it if you have the bottle.
Dave – 😼
Thank you for confirming for all here to see that you have no evidence to substantiate your smears and slanderous allegations, Billy.
I’m sick to fucking death of people picking on the overweight.
Screeching needs a fucking truckload just for his enormous fat head.
Now, I’m carrying more pounds than is good for me, but unless they force the likes of thornberry, gapes and pickles and screeching himself to take it then they’re fooked if I’m gonna.
“Take responsibility for themselves,” is it?
Well I do NOT give a flying wank what people think of what I’m about to say next.
AIDS and monkeypox are spread predominately by the homosexual community. Of which screeching is a member.
How about THEY “Take responsibility for themselves” (and everyone else) ???
If my weight is a result of lifestyle choices then so is your homosexuality.
And you, screeching, can get all sorts of drugs and counselling on the NHS so you can continue to indulge in your practices.
Oh, you don’t like it? You think it’s homophobic do you, weasly (and anyone else)?
Well here’s the news. I’m sick to fucking death of being told my “lifestyle choices” are costing the NHS money.
I’d much rather choose to be as physically fit as prime Arnold Schwarznegger. But I’m not.
Nobody FORCED you to be homosexual.
Circumstances dictate my ailments. Lack of money means I can’t afford healthier food. Caring for a sick relative means I have little time for exercise. Then there’s the stress involved that has no doubt contributed to my heart condition.
But it’s all a fucking lifestyle choice, innit?
JUST FUCK OFF.
I thought that Screeching was a nickname used by his çhums.
No, AIDS affects far more straight people than gays – and has for over 20 years in UK
Rubbish.
No alexanderscottish. INFECTION numbers and illness numbers are different, but even infection numbers show it to not be a ‘mainly gay’ disease anymore.
https://www.tht.org.uk/news/heterosexual-hiv-diagnoses-overtake-those-gay-men-first-time-decade
but even infection numbers show it to not be a ‘mainly gay’ disease anymore
Keyword.
‘Anymore’.
Why ‘anymore’? Because of ‘prep’
‘Prep’ isn’t widely prescribed to heterosexuals on the NHS, is it? In fact, I don’t know if it’s prescribed to heterosexuals at all.
But I’m quite sure it isn’t.
And what does ‘prep do? It allows (homosexual) promiscuity. At a cost to the taxpayer.
And promiscuity (homo/hetero/bisexual) is a CHOICE.
So I’d like to know how twats like screeching and the rest of the bigoted right-wing gay comminity’ can have the brass bastard neck to criticise and decry ANYONE that requires NHS treatment, or even being unemployed and claiming benefit for supposed ‘lifestyle choices’
I agree that no-one should be forced to lose weight because they are unemployed. The NHS i NOT delivery Wegovy fast enough and people are forced to borrow money if they find it helps them and pay for it. A friend paid for some of mine as the Tier 3 services were so appalling in my county, and promises never materialised. I have been so ill because of weight problems and it has ruined my life. I know everything there is to know about nutrition and diets and also how expensive fruit and veg are! I have worked volunteering at a Food Bank and know processed foods do not a healthy person make. And to force people as Streting wants is punitive and akin frankly to a fascist mentality. It is also self defeating and pejorative. Streeting has always struck me as going that way. But nobody should comment on this who has not had the difficulties with losing weight that I and my sisters have had. If you don’t understand the subject and have not got the true facts to hand and have never even tried to lose weight with Wegovy, and also if you don’t suffer from terrible debilitating illnesses caused by obesity, than keep quiet and listen to someone who knows – me. I have lost three stone for the first time in 17 years and can now have the op I need without risking dying on the operating table. Its a gradual loss so I have been able to firm up with a foot pedal cycle and arm weights. My sister and I do understand the issues. She can’t take Wegovy because of all the other illnesses she has had as an invalid over 20 years caused by her food addiction. Wegovy would be too uncomfortable for her. The prejudice from within the NHS against fat people is bad enough without you coming down against a wonderful solution for some people. NOT for everyone but right for many. The only thing I have had to deal wth is the slower processing of food in the stomach which has been alleviated by All Bran! I have lost three stone on it after I felt suicidal earlier this year because of weight issues and have dieted on and off all my life. Your article reads bad like a conflation of misinformation and conspiracy articles -like the dreadful Trumpists of the extreme right in the USA. Mind youb the Guardian is just as bad – all their skinny journos and their disdain for fat people not having the ‘willpower’ to lose weight. Believe me it is nothing to do with willpower. NOTHING makes me more cross (apart from Starmer and Reeves) than ignorance around weight and weight loss and the harms being very fat does to people.
Congrats on your weight loss, and I sincerely hope your operation is a resounding success 👍👍
However, don’t be fooled into thinking that this is some trumpian conspiracy/misinformation, and that screeching & co aren’t planning to make taking these drugs as a condition of claiming welfare payment(s)
They are the same type of rodent that brought out the welfare capability assessments (WCAs), and all the further conditionalities that evolved from them, which have led to tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of needless deaths that they don’t want published.
And it was the current home sec. (Mizz balls) that introduced them.
So until its ruled out in its entirety, AND by law, I’ll believe its more probable than possible.
That’s what frightens me Toffee: That a ‘workfare’-like condition is applied. “No Tirzepatide/no benefit”.
If anybody would, it’s StarmerReeves and Streeting.
People have the right to comment on anything. Others can exercise the right to prove them wrong. It is the denial of these liberties that we used to have that is fascist. If you disagree then I am glad that you can.
You are right poetrymuseum: Obesity is more likely to result from hormonal issues than gluttony. Find a good GP who can help you explore the feasibility of natural alternatives (minerals/amino-acid combinations, probiotics etc.) to synthetic hormones like Ozempic/Rybelsus/WEGOVY which few people can tolerate long-term.
Good luck with your quest, you have my respect and admiration.
Thanks qwertboi. I am doing well on Wegovy. My obesity is caused by a mixture of things- overeating, habit, enjoying food ( I am a good cook) and psychological pain, as well as physical tendency to put on weight from my genetic make up. I do not use gluttony as a word to describe myself because it has religious pejorative meaning – I eat too much often to stuff feelings of fear and inadequacy as I did when a child, and my rageaholic alcoholic father went berserk . But even counselling latr on in life did not stop the cravings and bad habits.
ooops, poetrymuseum – I foolishly typed a response to you below instead of here.
Some weight problems are also linked to other diseases. I had a boweltumour and my stomach doesnt break my food down properly leaving fat deposits.
I’m surprised they are not starting with the disabled. Its becoming more like Aktion T4 every day. Quite how I will survive with a catalogue is beyond me.
I’m in NO doubt the eventual goal is an identikit aktion T4 programme, jillazzouz.
They started with the disabled when mizz balls ‘introduced’ work capability assessments.
Now it’s generally viewed as acceptable, and even encouraged by the woefully misinformed (s*n-reading) public, thanks to the rhetoric from the fascist rags and the neo-nazi politicians of all bents.
And I’m absolutely certain that this ‘assisted dying’ bill will evolve into something a whole lot more sinister, just as the WCAs did.
…And as I type,guess who’s on breakfast news…4% kendal itself, about getting (the disabled) ‘back’ to work.
Mmm, sorry to hear that jillazzouz and hope the tumour no longer causing you problems and that you’ve uncovered and addressed whatever it was that caused the tumour originally. If so, it is ironic that a different type of ‘T4’, would have certainly played a role (in a good way).
FWIW – SW – the site’s reply layering (and placing of messages) seems not to be behaving here as usually does. WordPress Issue or change I wonder..
(Yes,SW I’ve noticed that level-2 replies are acting like level-1 replies and this is causing some replies to look disjointed/ be in an un-intended place). It often doesn’t matter, but sometimes can be counter-productive in a ‘chat’.)
Meanwhile, get ready for some serious de ja vue:
Starmer’s speech on Monday at an “investment summit”(in autocue language)
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-international-investment-summit-speech-14-october-2024
“It’s not just that stability leads to growth – though we all recognise that.
It’s also that growth leads to stability…
Growth leads to country that is better equipped to come together…
And get its future back.
That’s why it’s always been so critical to my political project.
The key ingredient of that ‘Great Moderation’ we became accustomed to before the financial crash…
But which together, in partnership…
We now have to earn again.”
As noted by Richard Murphy:
“For those not familiar with the ‘Great Moderation’ this is how ChatGPT summarised it, I think quite accurately, except that in the UK, I would suggest that this era only lasted from the mid 1990s until 2007:
‘The Great Moderation refers to a period of economic stability and low volatility that many advanced economies, including the UK, experienced from the mid-1980s until the global financial crisis of 2008. During this time, key economic indicators such as inflation, interest rates, and output growth showed reduced fluctuations compared to earlier decades. For the UK, this period was marked by sustained growth, lower inflation, and improved macroeconomic management, particularly with the adoption of more effective monetary policy tools.’
In other words, this was the era when neoliberal fervour cast all regulation aside, directly leading up to the financial crisis of 2008, which did not happen after the Great Moderation and did not even end it but was an integral consequence of it.
What Starmer wants to create is the madness of that era that led to massively over-leveraged banks, vastly over-indebted households, absurd asset price inflation and the collapse of real value in the economy because all that mattered was financialisation, which ultimately led to a massive financial crisis with the day only being saved by the first major use of money creation by governments in the fiat currency era.
If Gordon Brown’s time as Chancellor is your role model, you’re in the school of thought that suggests that those jumping off skyscrapers without a parachute have a great time until they crash. It’s an uncomfortable analogy but an appropriate one.
And that is where Starmer is. He’s so blind sided by the lure of the money those in finance have that he will do anything to be a part of it until it crashes, that is. Then, he hopes there will be others to pick up the pieces. As a summary of the madness of his premiership, that might be as good as it gets.”
——————————————-
What Murphy leaves out is the other shoe of putting all your eggs in one basket in the form of the UK economy doing away with a productive industrial economy of the neoclassical type in favour of an economy run on non-productive parasitical financialisation.
It’s bad enough the economically illiterate Starmer Junta thinking that a financialised economy based entirely on asset bubbles and rent seeking rather than creating new productive assets is the way forward, when that model has already proven to be a complete failure. However, the implicit notion that “growth” of such non-productive kind will ever, in the face of all the historical evidence and empirical data, be capable of delivering anything other than debt-deflation, and debt peonage for the majority is pure la la land.
These people are morons.
Richard Murphy is maintaining a wonderful site, yes Dave.
The range and depth of its cover is impressive and re-assures me that opposition to the ‘brain-dead’ hegemony that Mrs. Thatcher’s ‘revolution’ has inflicted on us (‘neoliberalism’) is strong and diverse. It’s weird, libertarians and democratic socialists intellectually cooperating to show the hideousness and worse of the establishment’s status quo hegemony..
Murphy is certainly capable in his own specialised field and produces solid evidence based analysis in that narrow band of study.
However, he shares a trait with a number of others (Monbiot for one) who fail to follow the process used in their own speciality outside of that field. The inconsistency in joining the dots and ‘only connect(ing)’ only serves to undermine their own message.
This is scaremongering baloney about Mounjaro being forced on anyone. Chance would be a fine thing! It is hard to get Mounjaro or Wegovy for people who need it and want it. It may not suit everyone and people who are not obese should not use it. Of course there are side effects – nausea initially.