A GP reference for how PBS access, cost and the Authority process work for GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide, dulaglutide, tirzepatide). It does not cover dosing, patient selection or side-effect management — those link out to the product information and clinical guidelines.
Indications and listings as published by the TGA and PBS. Confirm current status at pbs.gov.au — the weight-management products in particular have been changing.
| Product (active) | TGA-approved for | PBS status | Patient cost route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozempic (semaglutide) | Type 2 diabetes | PBS-listed — T2DM only | PBS copay if criteria met; otherwise private |
| Trulicity (dulaglutide) | Type 2 diabetes | PBS-listed — T2DM only | PBS copay if criteria met |
| Mounjaro (tirzepatide) | Type 2 diabetes; chronic weight management; moderate–severe OSA in adults with obesity (BMI > 30) (TGA, Jun 2025) | Verify current PBS status at pbs.gov.au — not PBS-subsidised for OSA or weight at time of writing | Private for weight management and for OSA |
| Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg) | Chronic weight management | Not PBS-listed. PBAC recommended a future listing (Nov 2025, established CVD + obesity group) — not yet in effect as of Jul 2026; verify at pbs.gov.au | Private (full cost) |
| Saxenda (liraglutide) | Chronic weight management (previously) | Discontinued in Australia. Novo Nordisk Australia: not available for purchase after December 2025 (HCP letter, May 2025). TGA shortages database: Discontinued, deleted from market 19 Dec 2025. | |
Brands are illustrative of the AU market, not exhaustive, and indications/listings are confirmed live at the PBS. This table describes access and cost structure, not which agent to choose.
For the PBS T2DM indication, GLP-1 RAs are Authority required. A GP can initiate — no specialist referral is needed.
The criteria centre on confirmed type 2 diabetes with inadequate glycaemic control despite an adequate trial of metformin (or where metformin is contraindicated or not tolerated), with the relevant detail documented in the Authority request. The exact current wording, the streamlined codes, and any CV-risk pathways are published at pbs.gov.au — confirm these there rather than relying on a summary, as they are revised periodically.
A neutral template with blanks — complete it against the current PBS criteria for the specific product (pbs.gov.au). It does not assert clinical thresholds.
PBS (T2DM, criteria met): standard co-payment — $25.00 general, $7.70 concession per script (PBS rates, March 2026; copay changes 1 January annually).
Full-cost private scripts vary by product, dose and pharmacy — and by dose tier within a product (patients titrate up over weeks/months, and each dose strength is a separately priced pack). As a rough guide (approximate, as of Jul 2026 — verify locally): semaglutide for weight management (Wegovy) is roughly $250–450/month across its dose range; tirzepatide (Mounjaro) is roughly $280–700/month, rising steeply from its starting dose to its maximum maintenance dose. These reflect online discount pharmacy pricing (near the cheaper end of the market) — traditional pharmacies and bundled telehealth programs commonly cost more. These are not fixed prices and shift with supply; quote the patient an indicative range and have them confirm with the pharmacy. See the patient-facing cost comparison for the full per-dose breakdown.
There is no MBS item specific to GLP-1 prescribing — you bill the underlying service. Typically:
MBS items and fees verified against the MBS Book July 2026. Confirm current item descriptors at MBS Online.
The 2022–2024 semaglutide shortage has largely resolved, but allocations and brand availability still move. Check live status at the TGA Medicine Shortage Reports database before assuming availability.
The TGA has acted to restrict compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide products. Confirm the current TGA position at tga.gov.au — only TGA-registered products are quality-assured.
LillyDirect (Eli Lilly, September 2026). Patients with an e-script can have Mounjaro dispensed by a licensed third-party pharmacy and delivered to their home; Lilly says prescribing decisions and clinical responsibility remain with the prescriber, delivery is included in the price, and prices are shown after the e-script is entered. Lilly has said a click-and-collect option and other non-PBS Lilly medicines will follow. The RACGP has raised concerns about dispensers having limited visibility of a patient’s full medicines list; the Pharmacy Guild and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia have called the model “clinically inferior”. Evermed, which operates the platform, states in its terms that it does not dispense (registered community pharmacies do), that delivery costs are listed separately from the product price, and that temperature-sensitive medicines may be left unattended if nobody is home. Sources: Lilly Australia; RACGP newsGP, 22 Sep 2026; ABC News, 1 Oct 2026; Evermed terms and conditions (shown as a pop-up when signed in to the LillyDirect platform).
Three class- or product-level updates worth flagging at the consult. Source: tga.gov.au — check for the latest before relying on any summary.
A common question now reaching GPs. The Australian consensus changed — and not in the direction many expect.
What the April 2025 consensus (ANZCA, Australian Diabetes Society, GESA, NACOS) sets out:
| Agent | Trade name | Schedule | Elimination half-life |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liraglutide | Victoza (Saxenda: discontinued in Australia, Dec 2025) | Once daily | ~12.6–14.3 hours |
| Dulaglutide | Trulicity | Once weekly | ~4.7–5.5 days |
| Semaglutide | Ozempic, Wegovy | Once weekly | ~5.7–6.7 days |
| Tirzepatide (GLP-1/GIP) | Mounjaro | Once weekly | ~4.2–6.1 days |
Half-lives per the ANZCA/ADS/GESA/NACOS consensus. The "4 half-lives" figure is for the scenario where therapy was already interrupted — it is not a recommendation to plan a cessation.