NHS spending on the weight loss drug Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, has surged to over £574 million in the 2025/26 fiscal year, marking a four-fold increase from £120 million the previous year. This dramatic rise in prescriptions, from 1.1 million to 3.1 million, positions Mounjaro as the most expensive drug prescribed by the NHS, surpassing costs associated with asthma treatments. The increasing expenditure has raised concerns among experts and taxpayers about the sustainability of funding for obesity treatments, especially as the government plans to expand access to millions more patients. Currently, only about 220,000 of the most severely obese patients can access Mounjaro due to rationing. Experts, including Dr. Marie Spreckley from the University of Cambridge, stress the importance of providing comprehensive support alongside medication to achieve optimal health outcomes. The NHS also reported a record 1.3 billion prescription items dispensed last year, reflecting the growing demand for effective obesity treatments amid rising obesity rates in England.