Retatrutide is a new weight-loss drug being developed by Eli Lilly, the company behind Mounjaro. Early clinical trials suggest it could deliver an average weight loss of around 24.2% after 48 weeks—greater than any other obesity treatment tested to date.
But retatutrutide hasn’t been approved yet. That means a doctor can’t prescribe it to you and you can’t get it on the NHS at the moment.
Key Takeaways
- Retatrutide cannot be prescribed on the NHS yet as it's still being tested in clinical trials
- Approval isn't expected before late 2026, after phase 3 trials complete
- If approved, NHS access will likely prioritise those with severe obesity and multiple weight-related health conditions
- You can access proven alternatives like Mounjaro or Wegovy through NHS specialist services or regulated private providers now
Why retatrutide isn’t yet approved for NHS prescription
Retatrutide isn’t yet approved on the NHS because it’s still in clinical trials. This means that researchers are testing how safe and effective the drug is, and how it compares to other weight loss treatments already out there.
Retatrutide is currently in phase 3 clinical trials. A phase 2 study found that retatrutide has a greater impact on weight loss than Mounjaro and Wegovy, both of which are currently approved for weight loss on the NHS in the UK.
Learn more about retatrutide’s side effects, early study results, and how it’s different from other GLP-1s before deciding if it could be the right treatment for you.
Who will likely qualify for retatrutide on the NHS?
As retatrutide isn’t available on prescription on the NHS (or approved for public use yet), we don’t know who will likely qualify for one.
Current guidelines for Mounjaro or Wegovy NHS prescriptions prioritise patients who have been diagnosed with severe obesity. This ensures the people who need it most will have first access to treatment.
We can use existing checklists to give us an idea of who could qualify for retatrutide on the NHS.
To get a Mounjaro (tirzepatide) NHS prescription, you must:
- Have a consultation with your GP or a specialist weight management service
- Have a BMI of 40 or more (or 37.5 for some ethnicities)
- AND have four or more weight-related conditions (such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnoea)
- Agree to eat a balanced, reduced-calorie diet and do regular physical activity alongside it
To get a Wegovy (semaglutide) prescription on the NHS, you must:
- Have a consultation with a specialist weight management service recommended by your GP
- Have health problems due to your weight
- Have a BMI of 35 or more (or 32.5 for some ethnicities)
- Have a BMI of 30 to 34.9 (or 27.5 to 32.4 for some ethnicities) AND you meet other criteria to be treated by a specialist weight management service
If you’re not sure if you qualify for a Wegovy or Mounjaro NHS prescription, speak to your GP.
When could retatrutide become available on the NHS?
We don’t know when retatrutide will be available on the NHS. If it passes phase 3 clinical trials, it could be available in late 2026 at the earliest.
Private alternatives to retatrutide that are available in the UK now
Retatrutide is not available on the NHS or privately as it’s still being tested in clinical trials.
If retatrutide does get approved, it will likely become available via Voy’s weight loss programmes. In the meantime, we’ll keep sharing everything we know so far about retatrutide.
Want to start your weight loss journey now? Access effective weight loss medications like Wegovy, Mounjaro, and orlistat through Voy. Just take our quiz to find out if you’re eligible.
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