Health Minister ‘committed’ to listing weight-loss drugs on PBS

Australian doctors are pushing to add weight-loss drugs to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in a move that could cost taxpayers billions of dollars each year but would provide relief to millions of Australians struggling with obesity.

Health Minister Mark Butler told Sunrise on Friday he’d received recommendations from PBS experts just before Christmas to list Wegovy - a weight-loss drug which is developed by the same company as Ozempic - on the scheme for people with a BMI of 35 and established cardiovascular disease.

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Butler confirmed the government is committed to listing every recommendation received from the expert panel, and will work closely with pharmaceutical companies to negotiate a price that works for both taxpayers and manufacturers.

“We’re committed to listing every recommendation we receive from that group of experts,” he acknowledged.

More than 400,000 Australians currently pay private prices to access these weight-loss medications, with costs reaching as much as $4000 or $5000 per year, putting the treatment beyond the reach of many who could benefit.

“It’s beyond the means of many Australians who really would benefit from this. It’s an equity issue as well as a health issue from my perspective,” Butler said.

With around six million Australians affected by obesity, the inclusion of weight-loss medications on the PBS would come at a significant cost to the federal budget.

Butler hailed the drugs as “an extraordinary innovation we’re seeing sweeping the world”, while acknowledging further work lies ahead as their use expands.