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Could a GLP-1 medicine be an option for me?

GLP-1 check: what NICE, the NHS and the labels say. 9 short questions, checked against the UK labels, NICE guidance and the NHS rules where you live.

Takes about 1 minute Nothing you type leaves your device Every result cites its source

It never says "yes" or "you qualify". It shows what published rules say about answers like yours. Your GP or another prescriber decides.

Question 1 of 9
What brings you here?

Pick the one that fits best.

How this works

The check compares your answers with three sets of published rules:

  • The UK drug labels (the summary of product characteristics the regulator, the MHRA, approves): who should not take these medicines, and the BMI a prescription can start from. Private prescribers work from these.1,5
  • NICE guidance for the NHS: who may be offered tirzepatide (Mounjaro) or semaglutide (Wegovy), and the lower BMI numbers NICE uses for some ethnic backgrounds.3,9,2
  • The NHS rollout where you live, which differs between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.3,11,18,19

Safety answers are checked first, so a "do not use" answer always wins over a BMI number. BMI is rounded to one decimal place before any rule is applied, so the number you see is the number we use. The labels say "30 or more" and "27 to under 30", so a BMI of exactly 27.0 counts.1

The five results, and the rule behind each. Safety answers are checked first, from the top.

Usually not used for you

If your answers show any of these:

  • Medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2, in you or a close relative
  • Pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant
  • Severe gastroparesis (food stays in the stomach far too long)
  • A past serious allergic reaction to these medicines

Rule and source: a contraindication (a reason not to use the medicine) or "not recommended" on the labels4,5,7; MHRA pregnancy advice8

Talk to a specialist first

If your answers show any of these:

  • Under 18
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • An eating disorder
  • Past pancreatitis (a swollen, painful pancreas)
  • Severe kidney disease
  • Diabetic eye disease

Rule and source: teen use from age 12 on the UK Wegovy label5; not for type 1 diabetes4,25; eating-disorder concern15; caution after pancreatitis5,23; kidney and eye warnings4,5. BMI rules are still checked, and shown when they matter.

Talk to your GP about it

If your answers show any of these:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • A BMI of 30 or more
  • A BMI of 27 to 29.9 with a weight-related condition

Rule and source: the UK weight labels for Mounjaro and Wegovy1,5; NICE's type 2 diabetes guideline17. The result then shows which NHS routes match your answers, if any.

Usually not the first step

If your answers show any of these:

  • A BMI in the overweight range (from 25, or from 23 for the backgrounds NICE names), below the label line
  • This includes people who want to lose a few pounds, or lose weight before an event

Rule and source: below the UK label line1,5; NICE BMI thresholds2

Below the range where they're used

If your answers show any of these:

  • A BMI below 25, or below 23 for the backgrounds NICE names

Rule and source: NICE BMI thresholds2; the weight labels cover obesity, or overweight with a condition1,5

Some answers add notes for your GP, whatever the result. These cover:

  • already taking another GLP-1, or a gliptin (a DPP-4 inhibitor tablet such as sitagliptin)
  • gallstones or gallbladder problems
  • insulin and sulfonylureas (diabetes tablets such as gliclazide)
  • the contraceptive pill
  • planned surgery
  • heart disease
  • fatty liver
  • age 75 and over
  • not knowing your sugar levels

What this can't tell you

  • Whether a medicine is right for you. Only a prescriber who has checked you can weigh your whole health and the side effects.
  • Whether your local NHS area offers it yet. The rollout is phased, and local NHS bodies say they contact people in the current group.20
  • Which medicine, or what dose. We don't compare brands.
  • Everything on the labels. We ask about the most important answers. A prescriber reviews the full list. See Guide 4.

Private prescribers, including online pharmacies, must check your weight and height themselves before prescribing, for example by video or from your GP records, not from a questionnaire alone.22

Questions people ask

Does this check tell me if I qualify for Mounjaro or Wegovy?

No. There's no "qualify" here. It shows what the UK labels, NICE and the NHS rollout say about people with answers like yours. A GP, specialist or other prescriber decides, after weighing your whole health and the side effects.

Can I get Mounjaro on the NHS?

It depends on where you live. In England, NHS access is being phased in by groups: first people with a BMI of 40 or more and at least 4 of 5 named conditions, then a BMI of 35 to 39.9 with 4 conditions from around June 2026, then a BMI of 40 or more with 3 conditions from around March 2027.3 The BMI numbers are 2.5 lower for some ethnic backgrounds.3 Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules.11,18,19

Why are the NHS numbers higher than the label numbers?

The UK labels allow a prescription at a BMI of 30, or 27 with a weight-related condition, and private prescribers use these.1,5 NICE's NHS recommendations are narrower: for tirzepatide (Mounjaro), a BMI of 35 or more with at least one weight-related condition, phased in over years in England.3

Can a teenager take a GLP-1 in the UK?

The UK Wegovy label covers teenagers aged 12 and over with obesity who weigh more than 60 kg.5 The UK Mounjaro label for weight is for adults.1 It's a decision for a children's specialist.

Is what I type saved or sent anywhere?

No. The check runs in your browser. Your answers aren't sent, stored or put in the web address. They disappear when you close the page.

Sources

  1. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro KwikPen (tirzepatide) summary of product characteristics, UK label, electronic Medicines Compendium, updated 8 September 2026: sections 4.1 (weight management: BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, high blood fats, sleep apnoea, heart disease, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes), 4.2 and 4.5. medicines.org.uk
  2. NICE. Overweight and obesity management, NG246 (published 14 January 2025, updated 8 January 2026), recommendations 1.9.10 and 1.9.11: lower BMI thresholds for South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African and African-Caribbean backgrounds. nice.org.uk
  3. NICE. Tirzepatide for managing overweight and obesity, TA1026, 23 December 2024: recommendation 1.1 (initial BMI of at least 35 with at least one weight-related condition; thresholds usually 2.5 lower for named backgrounds), section 4 (funding variation: about 220,000 people over the first 3 years, up to 12 years in all) and "What this means in practice" (phased groups). nice.org.uk
  4. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information, US label, revised June 2026: boxed warning, sections 4, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.8, 5.10, 8.5, 14. PDF
  5. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy 2.4 mg FlexTouch summary of product characteristics, UK label, electronic Medicines Compendium: sections 4.1 (adults; teenagers 12 and over with obesity and body weight above 60 kg; heart-risk use; MASH), 4.2, 4.4 and 4.6. medicines.org.uk
  6. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic summary of product characteristics, UK label, electronic Medicines Compendium (type 2 diabetes only). medicines.org.uk
  7. Eli Lilly. Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information, US label, revised August 2026: sections 4, 8.4. PDF
  8. MHRA. GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes: what you need to know. Updated 5 February 2026 (stop semaglutide at least 2 months and tirzepatide at least 1 month before trying for a baby; the pill and tirzepatide; surgery; where not to get them). gov.uk
  9. NICE. Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity, TA875, 8 March 2023: within a specialist weight management service, for up to 2 years. nice.org.uk
  10. NICE. Semaglutide for reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, TA1152, 7 May 2026 (established heart or blood-vessel disease and a BMI of 27 or more; to be funded in England within 90 days). nice.org.uk
  11. Scottish Medicines Consortium. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro), SMC2653: accepted for restricted use in adults with a BMI of 30 or more and at least one weight-related condition ("a lower BMI cut-off may be more appropriate for members of minority ethnic groups"). scottishmedicines.org.uk
  12. Lincoff AM et al. Semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in obesity without diabetes (SELECT). NEJM, 2023;389:2221–32. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2307563
  13. Wilding JPH et al. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: the STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes Obes Metab, 2022;24:1553–64. doi:10.1111/dom.14725
  14. American Society of Anesthesiologists. New multi-society GLP-1 clinical practice guidance released. 29 October 2024. Declared interests: 2 of 10 guidance authors declare fees from Novo Nordisk (paper's own declaration). Link
  15. The dual role of GLP-1 receptor agonists in weight management and eating disorders: potential benefits and risks. J Psychiatr Res, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.03.008
  16. GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy and skeletal muscle: a narrative review with implications for older adults. JAR Life, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jarlif.2026.100083
  17. NICE. Type 2 diabetes in adults: management, NG28, updated 18 February 2026 (adding a GLP-1 medicine or tirzepatide for people living with obesity, and semaglutide for people who develop heart or blood-vessel disease). nice.org.uk
  18. Welsh Government. People waiting for time-sensitive surgery to get weight loss drugs on the NHS. 23 October 2025 (also: Welsh Health Circular WHC/2025/018, 8 May 2025: NHS England's commissioning guidance does not apply in Wales). gov.wales
  19. Northern Ireland Formulary (Health and Social Care). Patient information leaflet: tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for obesity. April 2025. niformulary.hscni.net
  20. NHS South West London Integrated Care Board. Weight management: tirzepatide ("if you are eligible, you will be contacted directly"; wraparound support is required). Updated 30 July 2026. southwestlondon.icb.nhs.uk
  21. MHRA. MHRA warns of unsafe fake weight-loss pens. 26 October 2023. gov.uk
  22. General Pharmaceutical Council. Online pharmacies to strengthen safeguards to prevent unsafe supply of medicines. 4 February 2025. pharmacyregulation.org
  23. MHRA. MHRA updates guidance for GLP-1 prescribers and patients (pancreatitis). 29 January 2026. gov.uk
  24. MHRA. Semaglutide (Wegovy) approved to treat form of liver disease. 3 July 2026. gov.uk
  25. European Medicines Agency. Ozempic (semaglutide) summary of product characteristics, sections 4.1 and 4.4 ("Semaglutide is not a substitute for insulin"). PDF
  26. NHS. When to call 999 (and NHS 111 if you're not sure). Page last reviewed 3 February 2023. nhs.uk
  27. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide injection) product monograph, Health Canada, authorized 2 October 2026: section 7 (Hepatic/Biliary), and the patient information table (“Gallstones … sudden pain in the upper stomach or back, often on the right”). Checked 13 Oct 2026. PDF
  28. American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. 9. Pharmacologic approaches to glycemic treatment: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care, 2026;49(Suppl 1):S183–S215. Recommendation 9.18 (“Concurrent use of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors with a GLP-1 RA or a dual GIP and GLP-1 RA is not recommended due to lack of additional glucose lowering”); the section groups GLP-1 medicines and DPP-4 inhibitors together as incretin medications. Checked 13 Oct 2026. doi:10.2337/dc26-S009 · Full text

All sources last checked 12 Oct 2026 · NHS rollout rules change often · Next review due Jan 2027

How this tool was made. Built by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. Where we cite a US label, we say so; it is used for warnings the UK label words differently or doesn't carry. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to your GP or another qualified prescriber before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. In an emergency, call 999; if you're not sure, call NHS 111 (in Northern Ireland, your GP surgery's out-of-hours line). How we write