Drugs sold to treat type 2 diabetes, such as Ozempic, have been shown to be effective for users to lose weight.
People who take medicine for weight management say that a certain “food noise” disappears, improving mental and physical health.
However, due to costs and supply issues, the company urged the government to intervene in obese people with risk -related risks and call the government to subsidize. In the UK, some of these drugs can be used on NHS for dangerous and overweight people with secondary medical symptoms related to obesity.
The factors that the government take into account is as follows:
How many medicines are available in Australia?
A drug known as the GLP-1 imitates a hormone that stimulates the digestive system and is essentially full of a meal. They work to suppress people's appetite by making people feel tired.
In Australia, three major GLP-1 RA are available. Ozempic, WEGOVY, MOUNJARO.
Danish pharmaceutical company NOVO NORDISK produces Ozempic and WEGOVY. They contain the same active ingredients, Sempgridide, but are sold for type 2 diabetes and weight loss.
US company Eli Lilly produces Mounjaro. This is sold again as diabetes treatment, but can also be used for non -adapted purposes.
All drugs are lacking in Australia. The Treatment Equipment Bureau has warned that high demand and drug production requirements will be insufficient. It will continue until 2025。
The medicine is also expensive.
Ozempic is Approved by Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme -Iss, the government subsidizes costs only for diabetes treatment.
With the subsidy, the weekly dose is $ 31.50.
Except for private prescriptions, that is, for diabetes treatment, the price is the same dose from $ 75 to $ 150.
The price of other GLP-1 RAS depends on the pharmacy and the supplier, but is usually similar to the price of Ozen pick.
Does Australia need to subsidize drugs for those who have weight management issues?
In order to put medicine on PBS, companies must submit to the Pharmaceutical Benefity Advisory Committee, an independent expert organization.
PBAC is full of three times a year and is recommended based on the clinical effectiveness, safety, and cost -effectiveness of each drug or vaccine. Until now, the committee has rejected two submits from Novonor Disc and has put WEGOVY on severe obesity Australian schemes.
ELI Lilly states this year to place MOUNJARO on PBS to explore “all executable routes that can make fair access to drugs”.
Tori Brown, the company's Australia and New Zealand managers, said that the federal government had “improvement of understanding” the advantages of such drugs.
Observatory of Observatory of the World Estimated the economic impact between over body weight and obesity In Australia, $ 400 billion, that is, 1.9 % of GDP. Observatory estimates that this effect will increase to $ 252 billion by 2060, that is, 3.5 % of GDP.
Jonathan Karnon, a professor at the University of Frinders, says that the drug can have a positive effect on reducing other health problems related to severe obesity.
“If these weight loss drugs are made, the expected widespread diseases will decrease. [more] He says it is available in the entire population. “
What does the federal government say?
So far, the federal government has not announced whether to support taxpayers who need drug therapy for weight management.
The Minister of Health, Mark Butler, states that the introduction of the GLP-1 RAS will be a “truly big challenge for authorities.”
“There is a cost. There are many people trying to take them, [and] Regardless of whether they are in PBS, “the Minister said in the ABC Q & A program in October.
Tim Gil, a professor of health and nutrition and the highest executive of obese groups, says they should be on the scheme, but should be limited to those who are most in need.
“We want some fairness in how to provide healthcare,” he says.
“Obesity is a serious chronic state, regardless of whether you think of it as a disease … it brings a huge illness.”
Terry Lin South, a spokesman at the Royal Public Affairs University of Australia, says that the drug should not be considered a simple solution to improve obesity.
South says that people should aim for a “comprehensive and overall medical plan” for weight loss.
“”That way, not only the waistline, but also the long -term health outlook will be improved, “she says.
“It is also important that these drugs can be used for patients who need diabetes.”
