NICE updated technology appraisal TA1026 on May 27, 2026, expanding NHS-funded tirzepatide eligibility for chronic weight management. The BMI threshold dropped from ≥35 to ≥30 (or ≥27.5 in adults of South Asian, Chinese, Other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African, or African-Caribbean family origin per ethnicity-adjusted criteria).
Practical impact for UK patients: an estimated 250,000 additional adults are now NHS-eligible, joining the ~150,000 currently treated. The 24-month treatment cap + 5% loss-at-6-months stopping rule remain in place.
For US readers: NICE guidance often signals where US payer-coverage moves 12-18 months later. The ethnicity-adjusted BMI cutoffs (−2.5 kg/m² for South Asian, Chinese, Other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African, African-Caribbean) are increasingly adopted in commercial PA policies.
We've added the NICE ethnicity-adjusted BMI cutoffs to our /tools/glp1-eligibility-checker. See also /best-glp1-for/postmenopausal for the Mayo Jan-2026 HRT-synergy data which factored into the TA1026 cost-effectiveness analysis.