Doctors are advocating for weight loss medications to be more affordable, calling for their inclusion in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
These drugs are increasingly used in the health industry, particularly among Australians, where one in three people are classified as obese.
Queensland resident Kate Fox, who turned to the injectable weight loss drug Mounjaro, lost 45 kilograms. “It feels like it flipped a switch for me,” she said. “At the beginning of 2024, I was around 110kg to 115kg—the heaviest I’ve ever been.”
While Ozempic is subsidized for diabetes patients in Australia, its sister drug Wegovy and another injectable, Mounjaro, are the first new-generation medications approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for weight loss. However, patients currently pay hundreds of dollars per month for these medications.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) chairperson Dr. Terri-Lynne South highlighted the high costs, stating, “On a private script, the lowest dose costs $260, while the highest dose reaches $460 per month.”
The RACGP is pushing for these medications to be added to the PBS, which would lower the cost to $31.60 per month. “By treating obesity early, we can prevent complications such as heart disease,” South added.
The UK has recently approved public funding for these drugs to treat obesity in selected patients. However, in Australia, Wegovy has been rejected for subsidy twice.
Despite the high costs, Fox believes the drug has been worth it when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. “Investing in our health now will reduce costs in the long run,” she said.
