MOUNJARO jabs are set to shrink to prevent patients from using a weight-loss boosting hack.
The pre-filled injection pens – called KwikPens – are currently 3ml in size and designed to deliver four doses of the drug, typically over a four-week period.
A small amount of medicine is often left over in Mounjaro pens after four doses – Mounjaro is moving to change that
As each dose is 0.6 ml each, a small amount of medication remains in the pen at the end of the month.
Manufacturer Eli Lilly says the leftover ensures the pens work correctly, so that patients get four accurate doses out of them.
It urges people not to use the dregs left at the bottom of KwikPens.
However, some users have taken to drawing out this additional liquid with syringe to eke a fifth dose – dubbed a .
The cost-cutting measure has seen a surge in popularity since Eli Lilly announced it was hiking up the price of Mounjaro in the UK from September 1 – with higher doses set to cost over £300.
But Eli Lilly confirmed today that it would be “modifying” Mounjaro KwikPens “to reduce the amount of leftover medicine”.
Mounjaro users reacted in fury to the news, dubbing it a “kick in the teeth” following the price hikes and claimed they would still try to “golden dose”.
But experts have repeatedly urged patients not to resort to the hack, saying it was dangerous and could lead to infection or overdose.
An Eli Lilly spokesperson told The Sun: “A modified KwikPen will be made available globally.
“While the modified KwikPen has been approved in the UK, the timelines for availability are yet to be determined.
“The initial Mounjaro KwikPen and the modified Mounjaro KwikPen both contain the volume of solution necessary for priming before each injection and the delivery of four doses (one dose given weekly).
“The KwikPen has been modified to reduce the amount of leftover medicine that remains in the KwikPen after four doses have been administered.”
It comes after Eli Lilly announced last month that wholesale prices of Mounjaro would more than double from September 1.
The highest dose was set £122 to £330 a month, an increase of 170 per cent.
It was later reported that some pharmacies would be able to offer the jabs at a discount, saving patients £83 on the cost of the maximum dose.
Currently, online pharmacy Pharmacy2U, the UK’s largest online pharmacy, has the strongest Mounjaro pen—15mg—listed at £314, a huge leap from its previous price of £180.
But the price rise has still made Mounjaro unaffordable for many.
Patients rushed to stockpile the jabs before September 1, to avoid having to pay the new price, while others took to to share to share tips on how to “golden dose”, in an attempt to make the pens last longer.
How to take Mounjaro safely
IF you're thinking of starting Mounjaro, here's everything you need to be aware of to ensure you use it safely.
Consult your doctor first
- Discuss your medical history with a GP, especially if you have: thyroid issues, pancreatitis history, gastrointestinal disorders and kidney or liver issues.
Start a low dose and increase slowly
- Starting dose is usually 2.5 mg once weekly, injected under the skin.
- Typical progression: 2.5 mg → 5 mg → 7.5 mg → up to 15 mg weekly (in 2.5 mg increments every four weeks, as tolerated).
Administer it properly
- Inject once a week, same day each week, with or without food.
- Inject subcutaneously in stomach, thigh, or upper arm and rotate injection sites weekly.
Watch for side effects
- Common side effects include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, decreased appetite and fatigue.
- Seek medical help if you experience any of the following serious side effects: signs of pancreatitis (severe stomach pain), allergic reactions and kidney problems (low urine output, swelling).
One user claimed the trick saved her a fortune, MailOnline previously reported.
By getting five jabs from a four-dose pen, users reckoned they could claw back £615 a year.
News of Eli Lilly shrinking Mounjaro pens made its way across social media, with one forum user writing: “Wow. This company are truly the gift that keeps on giving.”
Another said: “I think they’ll phase the release so it will be a random chance whether you get the old pen or the new one which will Indirectly make stock piling risky.”
A third commented: “Absolutely scum bags, making Wegovy seem better value.
“Hopefully it won’t happen for a few months so I can get some 15mg pens.”
Others claimed it wouldn’t stop them from trying to extract whatever was left over.
“Maybe half a dose left over so combining two pens with leftover for a full dose. The new golden 9th,” one said.
Health chiefs have also repeatedly urged patients against trying hack, with Dr Alison Cave, chief safety officer of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, saying: “People should follow the dosing directions provided by their healthcare provider when prescribed weight-loss medicines and use as directed in the patient information leaflet.
“Medicines are approved according to strict dosage guidelines.
“Failure to adhere with these guidelines, such as tampering with pre–dosed injection pens, could harm your health or cause personal injury.”
“People are reading these tips on online forums and being tempted to use them to save ,” said Professor Penny Ward, a pharmaceutical expert at King’s College .
“But they’re risking serious side effects from overdosing by doing this – as well as the potential to develop a life-threatening infection.
“The potential to develop a life-threatening infection. It’s not a good idea at all,” she told MailOnline .
Professor Penny warned that this practice can be dangerous for “several” reasons.
“These injections contain a slight overfill to ensure the full recommended dose is delivered each time,” she said.
“But by drawing this out with a separate syringe and using it as a so-called fifth dose, you’re exposing yourself to serious risk of infection.”
Once the pen has been used, it’s no longer sterile, meaning any leftover liquid could be contaminated with harmful bacteria.
Injecting it could lead to abscesses or, in extreme cases, life-threatening .
There’s also the danger of taking too much.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR WEIGHT LOSS JABS ON THE NHS?
NHS eligibility for weight loss injections has expanded but still lags behind the number who could potentially benefit from taking them.
Wegovy, medical name semaglutide, is only available for weight loss through specialist weight management clinics.
Patients are typically expected to have tried other weight loss methods before getting a prescription.
They may be eligible if their body mass index (BMI) is higher than 30, or higher than 27 if they have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.
Mounjaro, known as tirzepatide, is also available from GP practices but currently only to patients with a BMI of 40 or higher (or 37.5 if from a minority ethnic background) plus four weight-related health conditions.
The medicines are currently being rationed to the patients most in need.
NHS watchdog NICE estimates that more than three million Brits will ultimately be eligible.
The GLP-1 injections are prescribed separately by GPs for people with type 2 diabetes, and patients should discuss this with their doctor.
“If you’re using your own syringe, it’s difficult to measure the correct amount – you may end up taking more than intended,” she warned.
Overdosing on the jab can trigger nasty side effects like vomiting and diarrhoea, or in rare cases, – a serious and painful condition that may need hospital treatment.
Around one in five cases result in serious complications, with up to 30 per cent proving fatal.
The risk rises sharply with higher doses, as the drug can trigger digestive enzymes that begin attacking the pancreas itself.
Symptoms include sudden, severe tummy pain, often spreading to the back, along with fever, nausea and a racing heartbeat.
“The bigger the dose, the bigger the risk of pancreatitis,” Professor Ward warned.
Under official guidelines, only patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 and weight-related health problems like high blood pressure, type 2 and obstructive apnoea, should be prescribed Mounjaro on the .
But tens of thousands are believed to be using them privately.
It comes after it was revealed that with just 18 out of England‘s 42 local health boards actually delivering to NHS patients.
