It comes after health officials recommended the drug be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) as a treatment for severe obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Like Ozempic, Wegovy slows down gastric emptying — making you feel fuller for longer and reducing appetite.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has not specified how much the medication will cost and when the subsidy will be introduced.
Wegovy
Wegovy belongs to a family of popular weightloss drugs called GLP-1s. Other GLP-1s also include Ozempic, Saxenda, and Mounjaro.
Half a million people in Australia are currently estimated to be taking GLP-1 medications. They are typically taken as a weekly injection, and can cost patients more than $400 a month.
Ozempic and Wegovy are both manufactured by Novo Nordisk. The pharmaceutical giant became Europe’s richest company in 2023.
Side effects
Common side effects associated with Wegovy and other GLP-1s include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Last month, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued a safety alert for GLP-1s over a potential risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
The TGA urged patients taking these medications to “tell their health professional if they experience new or worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or any unusual changes in mood or behaviour.”
PBS
Your contribution ensures The Daily Aus can continue doing the work you love.
I want to give $10 monthly to help TDA keep doing the news.
Your account details:
The Government subsidises a range of prescription medicines for Australians through the PBS.
An independent panel of experts called the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommends which drugs should be listed on the PBS.
In November, the PBAC recommended the Government add Wegovy to the PBS for patients who have “established cardiovascular disease with obesity.”
GLP-1s are already subsidised for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Health Minister Mark Butler has confirmed Wegovy will be added to the PBS, following PBAC’s advice.
The medication currently costs patients around $4,000/$5,000 annually.
It’s not yet clear how much Wegovy will cost once its on the PBS, but Butler said the Government will negotiate with Novo Nordisk, to “agree [on] a price that works for them but also works for taxpayers”.
Speaking to Sunrise, Butler suggested more GLP-1s could also be added to the PBS in the future.
Response
Dr Michael Tam from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said: “We know these treatments are effective for individuals, but ideally, we want to reduce the burden of obesity from occurring in the first place.”
AUSactive CEO Griffin warns rapid weight loss without structured physical activity can strip muscle and bone, increasing hospitalisations.
“If taxpayers are funding GLP-1s, exercise must be built into prescriptions,” Griffin said.
