Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Trulicity, Saxenda — a plain-English comparison of what each one is, what it's approved for, whether the PBS covers it, and what to ask your GP.
GLP-1 medicines are a group of prescription-only medicines that mimic a hormone the gut normally makes. Some are approved for type 2 diabetes; others (and one is approved for both) are approved for chronic weight management in adults who meet specific criteria. They're being talked about a lot — this page cuts through the noise and shows what's actually available in Australia.
Tick anything that matters to you. The cards below will filter automatically. This is not a recommendation — just a way to narrow the list to what's factually relevant.
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is TGA-approved in Australia for type 2 diabetes, chronic weight management, and — since June 2025 — moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnoea in adults with obesity (the first medicine registered in Australia specifically for OSA), but it is not PBS-subsidised for any of these. In April 2026, after four separate attempts, Eli Lilly (the manufacturer) declined to accept the PBAC's proposed listing conditions for the type 2 diabetes indication, citing an offer price and funding caps it considered unviable. No weight-management or OSA PBS submission has succeeded either. Without a PBS listing, Mounjaro is available only via private prescription paid in full, for any use.
This may change in future — the PBAC evaluates listings on a rolling basis — but for now it remains private only.
Sources: newsGP, Pharmacy Daily, AusDoc coverage of April 2026 Eli Lilly announcement; Eli Lilly Australia media release, 24 April 2026.
Wegovy (semaglutide, the higher weight-management dose) is TGA-approved for chronic weight management, but is not currently PBS-subsidised — it remains a private prescription paid in full.
There has been real movement, though it hasn't reached patients yet. In November 2025, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended a PBS listing for Wegovy — but only for a specific group: people with established cardiovascular disease (for example, a prior heart attack, stroke, or symptomatic peripheral arterial disease) and obesity, and only contingent on a price reduction and risk-sharing arrangement being agreed with the manufacturer (Novo Nordisk). A PBAC recommendation is an important step, but it is not a listing — actual PBS listing still requires price negotiation and formal government sign-off. As of the PBS's own Medicine Status update (23 July 2026), that process has not been completed: a notice of intent was lodged in February 2026 but was not accepted, and the negotiation and listing steps have not yet begun.
In short: no GLP-1 medicine is PBS-subsidised for weight loss in the general population today. If you have established cardiovascular disease and obesity, ask your GP whether the recommended (not-yet-listed) pathway could apply to you once it takes effect, and check pbs.gov.au for the current position before assuming either way.
Sources: Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme — PBAC advice on equitable access to GLP-1 obesity treatments; PBS Medicine Status document (semaglutide), updated 23 July 2026.
Ozempic is TGA-approved and PBS-subsidised for type 2 diabetes only. It is not PBS-covered for weight management. Some GPs may consider prescribing it off-label for weight, but that is a private prescription paid in full (roughly the same as any private GLP-1) and is a clinical judgement your GP makes.
If your primary reason is weight management (not diabetes), the products that are TGA-approved specifically for that indication are Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Saxenda. None are currently PBS-subsidised for the general weight-management population — see above for the one narrow group (established cardiovascular disease + obesity) where a Wegovy listing has been recommended but not yet finalised. All three remain private scripts today.
The TGA does not permit compounding of semaglutide or tirzepatide while brand-name TGA-approved products are commercially available (with only limited, tightly regulated exceptions). If you see a clinic or online supplier offering compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide at a much lower price than a normal Australian pharmacy, that's a red flag — the product may not meet TGA quality and safety standards.
The safest path is a TGA-approved, brand-name product dispensed by an Australian pharmacy against a valid prescription. Read the TGA's consumer information at tga.gov.au.
Global demand for GLP-1 medicines has periodically outstripped supply, and some products in Australia have been in intermittent shortage. Shortages and their expected resolution dates change frequently.
Check the current status on the TGA Medicine Shortage Reports Database at apps.tga.gov.au/prod/msi/search, and ask your pharmacist about local availability and any alternative brand or strength that might work while a shortage lasts.
An oral semaglutide tablet (Rybelsus) is TGA-approved in Australia but is not routinely dispensed in Australian pharmacies at the moment. Availability may change — check with your pharmacist. All GLP-1 medicines currently in routine use in Australia are injections.
Some newer oral GLP-1s are in clinical trials internationally but are not yet TGA-approved for use in Australia.
The most common side effects reported for GLP-1 medicines are gastrointestinal — nausea, sometimes vomiting, and other tummy symptoms — especially when starting or increasing the dose. There are also less common but more serious side effects that your GP will discuss before prescribing.
Rather than list all the possibilities here (which vary between products and can change with new safety updates), the Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) for each product is the authoritative Australian source. You can look up the CMI on the TGA website or ask your pharmacist for the leaflet.
If you're already on one and something new is worrying you, ring your GP or pharmacist. If it feels urgent — severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, signs of a serious allergic reaction — get medical help promptly.
For PBS-listed products (Ozempic, Trulicity when prescribed for type 2 diabetes), the cost is the standard PBS co-payment — $25 general / $7.70 concession per script in 2026, or less if your medicine has a Safety Net card.
For products not PBS-subsidised (Mounjaro, Wegovy, Saxenda, and anything private), you pay the full pharmacy price. This is typically hundreds of dollars per month — the exact amount varies by product, dose, and pharmacy.
Use the PBS Price Checker to look up the current PBS price for anything that's listed. Ring around a few pharmacies for private prices — they do differ.
Bariatric (weight-loss) surgery is a separate treatment path with its own eligibility, cost, and considerations. Your GP can discuss both paths with you, and refer you to a specialist if a surgical option becomes relevant.
See our Bariatric surgery in Australia page for a plain-English overview.
If you're considering asking about a GLP-1 medicine, here are the questions that usually come up. Bring this list with you.
💡 Want to bring more than just this list? The GP-Ready Checklist is an interactive tool that walks you through what to bring, what to prepare, and what to ask — with a notes area you can copy or share before your appointment.