A (long) note on Mounjaro, Eli Lilly, price increases and our services
I thought I’d add a ‘wee’ blog post just to put some more information out there for everyone. I hope it’s helpful - if you have any questions please feel free to contact me directly at sally@pharmacyclinicedinburgh.co.uk
~ Sally
Pharmacy Manager
For those who don’t want to read the whole post, here are the key points:
If you are an existing weight management service patient, you have already been contacted by email. Please check your junk folders.
From September 2025, Eli Lilly, the company that make Mounjaro, are increasing the wholesale price of the drug by nearly 3x. This inevitably means all service providers will in turn increase their prices for customers by a similar margin.
We, among many other suppliers, were not notified of this change before the media or larger chains. This led to a delay in our ability to respond to the increases, and we are currently swamped in enquiries (so please bear with us!)
While stock is still at it’s original pricing, many people are ‘bulk-ordering’ supplies, which has pushed us (as a small clinic) towards not being able to order any stock, for the foreseeable future. We are doing everything in our power to secure more stock - so please, if you’re waiting on a supply and you’ve already spoken to us, be patient.
We have had to redesign our weight management service. We’re proud to be one of the first suppliers in the whole country to have finalised and released our pricing for Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic from September onwards.
Our new service will be subscription-based, will have added features and services, and will be a ‘one-price-fits-all’ model, meaning there are no added financial pressures to increase or decrease your dosing.
Our new service will also be available online.
What’s happening?
From 01/09/2025, Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company which manufactures Mounjaro, is increasing its wholesale pricing by between 145% and 270%. This is the price that providers like ourselves pay for the medicines (less costs of delivery, cold chain, administration, taxes, surcharges etc. from wholesalers).
This change was released to the media, and apparently, large-chain pharmacies at 10am Thursday 14th August. We, among a number of other smaller service providers, were notified on Friday 15th August, meaning we had a huge delay in acquiring stock. We have raised concerns about the apparent lack of concern for the patients of small clinics, directly with the manufacturers.
What does this mean for me?
Regardless of whether your pens are prescribed by us, or an online provider, prices are likely to increase considerably. This change is happening imminently (1st September).
Our own services will be changing (more on that below) which reflects these changes. We want to make it clear to patients and prospective patients that:
We do not agree with an opportunistic price-increase by manufacturers, with little to no oversight by the GPhC or the MHRA. This medicine is already not appropriately prescribed by a number of online providers, and we feel that having allowed so many providers to supply the drug unethically has led to a situation in which people will now be priced out of treatment they are needing, with many people abusing the drug.
A lack of order limits and subpar stock distribution tactics has led to issues with stock availability. Absolutely everyone predicted this would happen on Thursday and Friday last week, as larger companies are looking to pay the current price for stock which they will sell in September and October, thereby increasing their profit margins considerably.
We are communicating changes as soon as they happen. Our wholesaler went out of stock (thanks in large part to the aforementioned logistic issues) in all strengths and we are placing orders at the earliest opportunity for all stock.
Can I get a bulk supply from you?
If you are an existing patient, we encourage you to get in touch as a matter of priority. We are looking to be able to provide an additional pen where possible (again, stock availability affects this) however we cannot make any guarantees of supply (at the old price) beyond the end of this month. We will charge upfront for such orders, but we won’t do this until we physically have the stock on site.
We appreciate this change is sudden and adds increased financial pressure for a lot of people. That’s why we’re working hard to provide solutions which at least give 4 to 5 weeks of ‘buffer time’ while you consider your options.
If you are not an existing patient, you’ll be initiated on the new subscription plans (see below), as we are unlikely to be able to obtain stock for you until September. If you’d like to start the weight management service with us, click below:
Our New Services
Going forward, our weight management service will be offered on a monthly subscription basis. Patients can choose a new or different plan at any time. All patients who commence treatments from 15/08/2025 will be subject to the new pricing plans.
This system will exist because:
We can offer medicines regardless of strength, all at the same price. This removes financial concerns about using the higher strengths of medicines
We already offer a comprehensive plan for our patients, and this way we can offer a complete, rounded package to ensure overall health and wellness
Many of our patients also use our other services, and this way we can offer them combined for ease and at a discount
You can compare our plans below:
What about other weight loss medicines?
Medicines like Wegovy or Ozempic (semaglutide) are widely considered to be less effective and are currently similarly priced. We expect that the prices of other weight loss medicines will now increase in line with Mounjaro.
If you’d like another weight loss drug like semaglutide, to be prescribed as part of your weight loss plan, we can absolutely cater for that. However, the cost of our plans is final and no reductions in price will be made regardless of the medicine prescribed.
What if I just want the pen?
A common misconception about this medicine is you can just ‘buy it online’. You can’t. Even if you buy it from a site which lets you ‘add to basket’ and only requires a questionnaire form, on the other end, a prescriber working at the company legally must prescribe it.
We’re proud to be an ethical company which prioritises patient safety and wellness. That’s why we require comprehensive consultations before a prescription is issued. By operating in this way we:
Ensure patients understand the risks associated with medicines we prescribe
Ensure patients understand how the medicine is used and administered
Set expectations of progress and work with the patient to identify behavioural influences to their weight
Encourage appropriate exercise
Encourage appropriate dieting
Check the patient is who they say they are and are not fraudulently representing their health
So, in short, no, it is not possible to ‘just get the pen’. I would personally advise to be cautious of anywhere that offers such a service.
Can I order it online?
Yes! We are offering this service online, and you can check it out here. Obviously some parts of the services won’t be available online, so just the Silver Tier service (minus body composition) will be offered. However, you will get:
Free postage and packaging
Free consumables
On-call help and support
Exclusive discounts
I have another question
Get in touch with Sally directly: sally@pharmacyclinicedinburgh.co.uk
