TRANSCRIPT

2 DECEMBER 2025

New warnings for weight loss medications

AMA Queensland President Dr Nick Yim spoke to ABC Brisbane about the TGA’s new warnings for GLP-1 medications.

Transcript: AMA Queensland President, Dr Nick Yim, ABC Brisbane, Breakfast with Craig & Loretta, Tuesday 2 December 2025
Subject: GLP-1 medications

 

CRAIG ZONCA: Do you happen to know anyone taking Ozempic? You might be yourself. News this morning is the World Health Organisation has now endorsed Ozempic and similar medications as long-term treatments for obesity. 

LORETTA RYAN: Yes, with new released guidelines, it’s calling on governments and health systems around the world to make the treatment more affordable and available. However, just yesterday, Australia’s medicines regulator issued a safety warning over the potential risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours when taking Ozempic-style drugs. Now, I’d love to hear from you if you’re on these drugs and why and how are you going? 1300 222 612. 

CRAIG ZONCA: Let’s bring in Dr Nick Yim, a GP, President of the Australian Medical Association Queensland. Nick, good morning to you. 

DR NICK YIM: Good morning to you both.

CRAIG ZONCA: Can you just run us through what concerns does the TGA have here? 

DR NICK YIM: The TGA, or the Therapeutics Good Administration, continually surveys and monitors for adverse events that we may see with relatively new medication. We know this class medication such as Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy In the broad scheme of things, it’s only been relatively new to the market. And as you can imagine, with clinical trials, it’s only short term. So what we’re seeing at the moment, a slight trend, potentially of increased suicidal thoughts. But this is something where I would encourage people with that concern or worry, to have a conversation with their GP, not to stop their medication immediately. 

CRAIG ZONCA: Okay, so discuss with your GP if you’re having any depressive thoughts. And of course, I need to give the Lifeline number out here as well for counselling 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 13 11 14. Dr Nick Yim, as a GP, are you getting a lot of requests for Ozempic or Ozempic-style drugs to be written out for prescriptions for your patients? 

DR NICK YIM: I am. On a flip side, this is quite a benefit to hear the World Health Organisation acknowledge obesity is a chronic disease. We’ve known for a long time it’s not as simple as, I guess, food in and energy out, weight loss. So it is a complex issue to quite many modalities of treatments. And injectables such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, it’s just one element of that. It does have its great benefits because we have seen great weight loss for many people. But unfortunately, like all medications, there are side effects involved. 

LORETTA RYAN: Wasn’t there concern when this just came out that it was for diabetes sufferers and then when people were taking it for weight loss, there was a bit of a shortage. Was that a concern? Is that still a concern? 

DR NICK YIM: There are always concerns with stock supply. At the moment we’re not facing the same stock issues that we’ve seen a couple years ago. Whilst Ozempic was initially devised for diabetes later on we realised it’s a good weight loss medication. And that’s the same with other medications that we’ve seen historically. An example that I can use is aspirin. In the past, we might have seen aspirin to be used as pain relief. But now, later down the track, they realised that it’s actually quite beneficial to prevent heart attacks and strokes. So as time goes on, research develops more and then we get more uses for these medications. 

CRAIG ZONCA: Nick Yim, can you clarify for me, the Ozempic and similar medications, as I understand, I thought were only on the PBS for type 2 diabetes. Is that the case or are they on the PBS for weight loss as well now? 

DR NICK YIM: No, that’s correct. It’s only on the PBS for diabetes. tThere are different dosages for diabetes and weight loss. And unfortunately, sometimes cost can be a barrier for those individuals seeking those injectable medications for weight loss. 

LORETTA RYAN: There was another warning by the tga. It issued a separate warning for the potential of reduced effectiveness of the oral contraception. This was in taking a dose of Mounjaro. Now, is that similar to Ozempic? 

DR NICK YIM: Mounjaro is in the same class of as the Ozempic or semaglutide. So this is something that we’re really watching closely in this space. And this is the reason why we have the Therapeutic Goods Administration keeping an eye on, I guess, adverse events. That’s really important for consumers and also healthcare professionals to report in these adverse events or unusual abnormalities that we see. 

LORETTA RYAN: So what happens, Dr Nick Yim, when someone goes to the doctor now and wants and asks about Ozempic? What’s the advice they’re given? 

DR NICK YIM: I think the key thing thing is having those conversations with their general practitioner at the same time. Obviously, the GP will always ask about the medical history. They might take a mental health history, they might be on medications. So looking for drug interactions. And obviously, as always, if people are getting unusual side effects or people are reporting depressed mood, have a conversation with their GP because maybe these injectables are not the right medications for you. 

CRAIG ZONCA: Really interesting. And the rise of it, it’s been almost touted as a wonder drug. Have you seen hype around a drug like this before in your career, Dr Nick Yim? 

DR NICK YIM: Definitely, it’s one of those medications that has seen a huge amount of hype. I know we are living in the age of digital media, social media, so information can travel very, very quickly. But it’s really important that we look at the evidence. Not every medication is right for everybody. So that’s the reason why it’s important to have a conversation with your GP. 

LORETTA RYAN: Yes, the trouble is people are so desperate and they want something for their weight loss and then they might look at, well, it’s got this side effect, but I really want this weight loss treatment. So it’s a real struggle for people. It’s a choice to make. 

CRAIG ZONCA: It most certainly is. Dr Yim, thanks for joining us this morning. 

DR NICK YIM: Always a pleasure. Thank you.

Contact the AMA Queensland Media Team