PRESCRIBING of powerful “weight-loss” drugs has risen sharply in Jersey in recent years, with new data revealing the scale of their use across the Island for the first time.
Figures published in the government’s latest public health report show that more than 8,600 GLP-1 receptor agonist prescriptions were dispensed in 2025 alone – including over 6,000 items of semaglutide and 2,600 of tirzepatide.
The figures mark a dramatic increase from “low levels” just five years ago and confirm what many clinicians and campaigners have warned – that demand for the drugs is accelerating rapidly.
GLP-1 receptor agonists – which include well-known brands such as Mounjaro and Ozempic – are licensed in Jersey primarily for treating type 2 diabetes.
But they have become globally synonymous with weight loss due to their appetite-suppressing effects.
While liraglutide prescriptions have dropped sharply, newer drugs are driving the surge, with tirzepatide seeing rapid uptake in its first full year of availability.
The data – drawn from the Health Insurance Fund – offers the first detailed picture of how widely these treatments are now being used locally.
However, the report stresses that the true scale of “weight-loss” drug use is likely even higher, as the figures do not include private prescriptions or medication sourced online.
The prescription increase comes against a backdrop of rising obesity levels in Jersey. The same report shows that 56% of adults are overweight or obese, with more than 12,500 Islanders now on the obesity register.
It comes after the JEP ran a three-day series last year exploring the growing use of weight-loss drugs in Jersey and the need for a more holistic approach to weight management.
Islanders and clinicians warned of an over-reliance on medication without adequate psychological and lifestyle support.
Obesity advocate Sarah Le Brocq previously described the situation as “hugely frustrating”, warning that Islanders face “very limited” treatment options and are often left to “fend for themselves”.
Her concerns are echoed in the latest report, which links rising prescribing levels to wider health inequalities and unmet need.
It notes that obesity is closely tied to deprivation, with higher rates among those facing financial strain, lower education, or insecure housing.
At the same time, diet and physical activity levels remain poor, with only 31% of adults meeting recommended fruit and vegetable intake and just 54% meeting activity guidelines.
The report also highlights the complex health impact of obesity, with thousands of Islanders living with multiple long-term conditions.
Around 5,300 adults have both obesity and hypertension, while 2,300 have obesity and diabetes.
Despite the growing use of GLP-1 drugs, access remains uneven in Jersey, where they are still publicly funded only for diabetes patients who cannot be managed with other treatments – not for weight loss.
In England, eligible patients can now receive such medications through the NHS.
The lack of a dedicated weight-management service has been a key barrier. As previously reported by the JEP, the Pharmaceutical Benefit Advisory Committee has delayed a decision on expanding access, citing the absence of a structured support system.
Experts have consistently warned that medication alone is not enough, with public health officials stressing that these drugs must be used within a “framework of safety and ongoing monitoring”, alongside nutrition, activity and psychological support.
There are also growing concerns about unsafe access routes. A JEP investigation last year found that Islanders could easily obtain weight-loss drugs online without proper checks, prompting warnings that “unregulated products” could be “counterfeit, contaminated, or dosed incorrectly”.
Dr Chris Edmond, a Jersey doctor, also previously raised concerns about weak prescribing controls, warning that “there is not enough control” and that financial incentives could be influencing prescribing behaviour.
It comes as GP practices in England are to be paid an average of £3,000 a year in bonuses to prescribe patients weight loss drugs. The UK government is adding the incentive payments to the GP contract starting in April.
GPs in England will also get extra money – worth about £1,000 a year – for referring patients on to weight loss programmes.
