Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting are facing growing criticism for their push to target unemployed people they deem overweight, with plans to expand this policy to the broader population. The government’s controversial strategy includes using the weight-loss drug Tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro, produced by the US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly & Co. The drug is set to be offered at a cost of around £30 per dose, initially to 3,000 people weekly, but eventually targeting millions.
This new initiative has raised alarm, particularly as Eli Lilly has a long and troubling history of legal issues, sharp practices, and previous convictions related to the marketing of its drugs. Lilly has been involved in multiple lawsuits, including a notable case involving the anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa. Thousands of people claimed Zyprexa caused severe side effects, including diabetes and significant weight gain, with 16% of users experiencing nearly five stone of weight gain within the first year. Lilly ultimately paid $1.2 billion to settle these claims.
Further controversy arose when Lilly was sued by 32 US states for the illegal marketing of Zyprexa for off-label uses, particularly as a treatment for dementia. The company pleaded guilty to criminal charges of illegal marketing, resulting in a $1.415 billion penalty, including an $800 million civil settlement and $515 million in fines. Internal communications revealed Lilly’s aggressive push to expand the drug’s use in children and adolescents, despite safety concerns.
Eli Lilly’s troubled history extends to other drugs as well. Evista, a medication used for osteoporosis, was illegally marketed as a cancer and heart disease prevention drug. The company was forced to pay $36 million after a guilty plea for fraudulent advertising. Similarly, Trulicity, a drug for diabetes that is also used off-label for weight loss, is currently the subject of a major lawsuit over serious side effects, including cancer, blindness, and gastrointestinal issues. The lawsuit alleges that Eli Lilly failed to warn patients and healthcare providers about these dangers.
The company has also faced scrutiny over its pricing of insulin, with a sharp price increase between 2012 and 2016, which triggered investigations from Congress. Additionally, in 2013, Lilly sued the Canadian government for $500 million after Canadian courts invalidated two of its patents. The company ultimately lost the case in 2017.
Despite these issues, Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting have praised Eli Lilly, entering into a strategic partnership with the company and promoting its weight-loss drug. Critics argue that this decision prioritizes corporate interests over public health, particularly given the drug’s potentially fatal side effects.
The government’s policy to mandate weight-loss drugs for vulnerable populations has drawn further concern. Alongside this initiative, the government also plans to impose stricter work requirements on individuals in mental health facilities, potentially sanctioning benefits for those who do not comply. Critics warn that these policies could lead to thousands of unnecessary deaths and harm, with Labour’s close ties to private health investors further fueling distrust.
As the government pushes forward with these policies, questions about the safety of the drugs, the integrity of the partnerships, and the potential harm to the public continue to mount.
