RESEARCH NOTES · 30 OCTOBER 2026
Evidence beyond short-term weight change
The SURMOUNT-1 programme offers encouraging evidence for medically supervised treatment. Its original 72-week randomised trial involved 2,539 adults with obesity or overweight and a weight-related complication, without diabetes. It found substantial weight reduction and improvements in measured cardiometabolic risk factors. Gastrointestinal side effects were common, and some participants stopped treatment because of adverse events. Read the original trial.
The longer-term findings
A subsequent analysis followed 1,032 participants who had both obesity and prediabetes. At 176 weeks, average weight reductions across tirzepatide groups ranged from 12.3% to 19.7%, versus 1.3% with placebo. During treatment, type 2 diabetes was diagnosed in 1.3% of tirzepatide participants and 13.3% of placebo participants. This is an encouraging result in a defined study population, not a guarantee of diabetes prevention. The trial was funded by Eli Lilly. Read the longer-term study.
Benefits need appropriate medical care
South African professional information lists Mounjaro as a Schedule 4 medicine. It includes warnings about pancreatitis, gastrointestinal effects and dehydration, and contraindications involving medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. Animal thyroid-tumour findings do not establish the same effect in humans. A clinician must assess suitability and monitoring. Evidence for a studied medicine does not verify unregistered or privately labelled products with the same ingredient name. Read the SAHPRA-hosted professional information.
Educational summary, not personal medical advice or an endorsement of a supplier or product. No dosing or ordering guidance is provided. This editorial has not been independently medically reviewed. Sources checked 30 October 2026.