Inmates and Weight-Loss Injections: The future of GLP-1 behind bars

Scotland's State Hospital just reported a stunning statistic: 95% of patients at their maximum-security psychiatric facility are overweight. Patients gain an average of 15% of their body weight in their first year of admission.
Sound familiar? It should. This mirrors what we're seeing across U.S. correctional healthcare.

The facility's response? They're now offering GLP-1 agonist therapies to eligible patients. It's a decision that raises questions every American correctional pharmacy will soon be asking—if they aren't already.

Because here's the thing: these medications work. But implementing them in secure environments isn't straightforward. We're talking about strict eligibility criteria, complex storage and distribution logistics, intensive patient monitoring requirements, and costs that add up fast. All while addressing the underlying factors—sedentary lifestyles, medication-induced weight gain, limited access to healthy food options—that drive obesity in correctional settings in the first place.

As GLP-1 therapies become more prevalent in general healthcare, correctional pharmacies need protocols that balance clinical appropriateness with operational realities. The conversation isn't just about whether to offer these medications—it's about how to do it right.

In your opinion, what's the future of GLP-1 in correctional healthcare?

Read the full story here: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/offenders-carstairs-weight-loss-jabs-36017213