Criteria for Mounjaro: deciding whether it could be right for you

Does your BMI sit within the licensed range for Mounjaro?

This is usually the first thing to check, and it takes under a minute. The NHS BMI calculator will give you a number; write it down before you speak to any clinician. The licensed threshold for tirzepatide (the medicine sold as Mounjaro) is a BMI of 30 or above. If your BMI falls between 27 and 29.9, you may still qualify, but only if you have at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnoea, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes. For people from South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds, UK guidance lowers the thresholds by 2.5 kg/m², which means a BMI of 27.5 or above (or 24.5 with a qualifying condition) can be sufficient. Those adjustments matter; mention your background when filling in a consultation form. The specific BMI thresholds for Mounjaro are explained in full on a dedicated page if you want the detail before your consultation.

One thing worth saying plainly: BMI is a gateway, not a guarantee. A prescriber can decline to prescribe even when your BMI qualifies, and can sometimes prescribe when the picture is more nuanced. The number opens the door; the clinical conversation decides what happens next.

Which health conditions count towards the Mounjaro criteria, and how many do you need?

If your BMI is 30 or above, you do not need any additional conditions to meet the licensed threshold. If your BMI is in the 27–29.9 range (or the ethnicity-adjusted equivalent), one qualifying condition is enough. The conditions recognised under the UK licence include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia (raised cholesterol or triglycerides), obstructive sleep apnoea, and cardiovascular disease. Osteoarthritis related to weight is also commonly cited in clinical practice, though prescribers assess this individually. You do not need a formal GP referral or a hospital diagnosis, a confirmed diagnosis on record, or disclosed during consultation, is what counts.

The NHS route has its own separate, stricter eligibility criteria tied to specific comorbidity counts and BMI bands (currently four or more qualifying conditions alongside a BMI of 40 or above for the earliest NHS cohort). If you are exploring what the GP or NHS route to Mounjaro looks like in practice, that page covers the phased rollout in detail. Private prescribing works from the licensed indications rather than NHS commissioning rules, so the bar is lower, though a prescriber still decides suitability.

What conditions make Mounjaro unsuitable?

Eligibility has two sides. On one side, the BMI and comorbidity criteria let you in; on the other, certain personal or family health histories can mean tirzepatide is not the right choice. The prescriber will ask about a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2), and any previous diagnosis of pancreatitis, all of these are listed in the medicine's licensed information as reasons to avoid or discuss carefully. Severe gastrointestinal conditions, significant kidney disease, and certain diabetic eye complications are also part of the standard assessment.

Some interactions with other medicines are worth raising too. If you take oral contraceptives, there is a specific consideration: absorption of the pill may be reduced for the first four weeks of Mounjaro treatment and for four weeks after each dose increase, so an additional non-oral method of contraception is recommended during those windows. The interactions between Mounjaro and other medicines, including antibiotics, are addressed separately if you have a specific question. A full list of contraindications is published in the Mounjaro Summary of Product Characteristics on the eMC, worth a read if you like primary sources. For a plain-language summary, our page on who cannot take Mounjaro covers the key exclusions without the technical language.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding are clear contraindications, and the medicine is not recommended for anyone trying to conceive. It is also not licensed for anyone under 18. These are not judgements; they reflect the evidence base on which the medicine was approved.

What happens when you meet the criteria for Mounjaro privately?

If you meet the licensed thresholds and have no conditions that rule treatment out, the next step is a clinical consultation, not a purchase. At nume, that consultation is free, and your answers are read by a GPhC-registered Independent Prescriber on the same day you submit them. No algorithm makes the call. Alongside reviewing your health history, the prescriber checks photo ID, verifies your weight on a live video call, and may cross-reference your Summary Care Record where appropriate. If you are unsure whether you qualify before starting, our page explaining what the criteria for Mounjaro actually involve walks through each requirement clearly. If you are already on treatment elsewhere and want to transfer, evidence of your current dose is part of that review, and you can also read about how those criteria apply in practice before getting in touch.

Treatment (if approved) is dispatched the same day when orders are placed before 12pm on a working day, and arrives free the next working day in plain packaging via DPD. There is no subscription; every repeat order goes through the same clinical re-review. If you want to understand the costs involved before starting, our treatment overview page sets out everything that is included in the price transparently. When you are ready to see whether Mounjaro's criteria apply to your situation, starting a free consultation is the natural next step.