Mounjaro is a once-weekly injection approved in Australia for type 2 diabetes and for chronic weight management. Here is the plain status: what it is approved for, why it is not on the PBS, what that means for cost, and how supply has gone.
📋 Sources: TGA registration of tirzepatide (Mounjaro) — tga.gov.au; weight-management indication reported by RACGP newsGP, Sept 2024. PBS/PBAC status — pbs.gov.au; the manufacturer's decision not to proceed with a type 2 diabetes listing was reported by Pharmacy Daily, April 2026. General information only — not medical advice, and not an endorsement of any medicine.
Approved, but private only. Mounjaro is TGA-approved and available, but it is not subsidised by the PBS for any use. The PBAC recommended a type 2 diabetes listing with strict funding caps; the manufacturer decided not to proceed (reported April 2026). This page is a plain status tracker and is updated as things change.
The short version: Mounjaro is tirzepatide, a once-weekly injection (the Mounjaro KwikPen). The TGA has approved it for type 2 diabetes and for chronic weight management (BMI 30+, or 27+ with a weight-related condition), each alongside diet and exercise. It is prescription-only and not on the PBS for any use, so it is a private script paid in full. Supply has been limited at times.
What it is & what it's approved for
Medicine: Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Eli Lilly. It acts on two gut-hormone receptors — GIP and GLP-1 — unlike semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), which acts on one.
Form: a once-weekly injection under the skin, using the multi-dose Mounjaro KwikPen. The dose is stepped up gradually from a low starting dose (up to 15 mg) under medical supervision.
Type 2 diabetes: approved for adults whose type 2 diabetes is not well enough controlled, alongside diet and exercise.
Weight management: approved for adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with at least one weight-related condition (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes), alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more activity. A doctor decides whether it is suitable for an individual.
Cost and the PBS
Not on the PBS — for any use. For type 2 diabetes, the PBAC recommended listing with strict funding caps, but the manufacturer decided not to proceed (reported April 2026), citing the subsidised price on offer. For weight management it has never been PBS-subsidised — the same as Wegovy and the other weight-management medicines.
That means a private prescription. You pay the full price, which the pharmacy sets and which rises as the dose steps up. We don't publish a dollar figure we can't verify — ask your pharmacy for the current price for your dose.
If cost matters to the decision, it's worth comparing the options with your GP.
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) — a once-weekly injection; a dual GIP/GLP-1 medicine; TGA-approved for type 2 diabetes and weight management; not on the PBS.
Ozempic (semaglutide) — a once-weekly injection; PBS-listed for type 2 diabetes only, and must not be prescribed for weight loss.
Wegovy (semaglutide) — the weight-management form of semaglutide; a weekly injection, and now also an oral tablet; a private script for weight management.
Which, if any, is appropriate is a decision for you and your GP — this is general information, not a recommendation of one over another.
Availability & supply
Available on private prescription through pharmacies, but supply of weight-management injections in Australia has been constrained at times, and Mounjaro moved from single-use vials to the multi-dose KwikPen.
Before relying on it, it's worth checking current stock with your pharmacy. The TGA publishes medicine shortage information, and your pharmacist can tell you what is actually available.
No. For type 2 diabetes, the PBAC recommended listing with strict funding caps, but the manufacturer decided not to proceed (reported April 2026), so it is not subsidised for diabetes. For weight management it has never been PBS-subsidised. For every use it is a private prescription paid in full. If this changes, we will update this page.
The TGA has approved tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes, and for chronic weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with at least one weight-related health condition — in both cases alongside diet and exercise. A doctor decides whether it is suitable for an individual.
Because it is not on the PBS, you pay the full private price. The pharmacy sets the price and it rises as the dose steps up, so ask your pharmacy for the current cost for the dose you have been prescribed. We don't print a figure we can't verify.
No. Mounjaro is tirzepatide, which acts on two gut-hormone receptors (GIP and GLP-1). Ozempic and Wegovy are semaglutide, which acts on one (GLP-1). They are different medicines. For weight management, all of them are private prescriptions in Australia.
No — Mounjaro is a once-weekly injection under the skin, given with the Mounjaro KwikPen. The oral semaglutide tablet (oral Wegovy) is a different medicine.
Yes. It is a prescription-only medicine. A doctor assesses whether it is suitable for you, taking your health history and other medicines into account.
Last verified against sources: 8 November 2026. TGA approval and the PBS position are settled as described; pricing is private and set by pharmacies, and supply can change — confirm the current situation with your pharmacy.