UK Gov and Eli Lilly Launch £85M Drive to Transform Obesity Care
Eli Lilly and Company has joined forces with the UK Government to launch a landmark programme designed to reshape how obesity is treated across the nation.
Backed by up to £85 million in joint funding, the initiative will test and evaluate new models of care with the aim of providing scalable and efficient solutions to one of the country’s most pressing public health challenges.
A Nationwide Call for Innovation
At the heart of the programme is a UK-wide competition inviting NHS organisations to put forward fresh proposals for tackling obesity. Selected entries will secure pilot funding to trial their approaches, helping to build a robust evidence base for future nationwide implementation.
The competition, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, welcomes submissions from across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Notably, at least £10 million of the available funding is earmarked for devolved nations, ensuring equitable support across the United Kingdom.
Shared Investment and Ambitious Goals
The programme will be jointly financed, with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) contributing up to £50 million, and Lilly providing up to £35 million. The funding is explicitly structured to support service innovation and will not influence prescribing decisions.
The Senior Vice President for International Medical Affairs at Lilly described the initiative as an important milestone in advancing new models of care for obesity, underlining the company’s commitment to improving patient outcomes through collaboration and innovation.
Political Backing for a Health Revolution
UK ministers have welcomed the announcement as a pivotal moment in the fight against obesity.
The Science and Technology Secretary suggested that novel ways of accessing obesity support – whether through local pharmacies or digital health platforms – could prove transformational for people’s quality of life.
The Health and Social Care Secretary added that obesity now ranks among the leading causes of ill health, costing the NHS billions every year. Yet, they argued, the UK now has the science, technology, and knowledge to turn the tide, provided the opportunity is seized.
The Scale of the Challenge
The stakes are high. Obesity is estimated to cost the UK economy around £74 billion annually, with £11 billion in direct costs to the NHS alone.
These figures underscore the urgent need for preventive, modernised care pathways that can reduce pressure on overstretched health services and improve long-term health outcomes.
Building a Preventive NHS
This initiative aligns closely with the Government’s Plan for Change, which sets out ambitions to make the NHS more proactive in preventing ill health and more efficient in delivering modern care.
By funding pilot programmes across the country, the Government and Lilly hope to identify scalable solutions that can shift the obesity conversation from crisis management to prevention and sustained wellbeing.
Conclusion
The partnership between Eli Lilly and the UK Government represents more than just a financial commitment; it signals a new chapter in how obesity is addressed.
By combining public resources, private expertise, and innovative thinking from NHS organisations, the programme aims to deliver practical, evidence-based solutions to one of the UK’s most costly and persistent health issues.
If successful, it could mark a turning point – one where prevention, innovation, and modern care converge to tackle the obesity epidemic head-on.
News Credits: Lilly and UK Government launch £85 million obesity care innovation programme
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