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As a PBS listing for Wegovy advances, the committee has detailed exactly how GLP-1 drugs could be accessed, advising a ‘slow and managed’ rollout.
The proposed PBS listing for Wegovy is specifically as an obesity treatment for patients with established cardiovascular risk, focusing first on high-risk patient groups.
With a subsidised listing of a viral weight-loss drug on the horizon, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) has released full details on its recommendation for access to such medicines.
It follows Federal Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler’s request to the PBAC in March 2025 seeking advice on equitable access to GLP-1 obesity treatments through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
At a November 2025 meeting, the PBAC advised the Federal Government to set a PBS listing for semaglutide (sold as Wegovy) as an obesity treatment for eligible patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Now, meeting minutes have been released, detailing exactly what the PBAC recommends to ensure equitable access to obesity treatments more broadly.
The PBAC recommends a ‘slow and managed’ rollout of access to PBS-subsidised GLP-1 treatments to manage ‘leakage’ where subsidised medicines are prescribed outside approved criteria, and uncertainties around long-term use, outcomes, and cost.
The staged rollout would initially prioritise specific high-risk patient groups most likely to benefit, as broader use remains under review. These include:
patients with established CVD
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with obesity-related comorbidities
people with syndromic obesity
people with medication-induced obesity
patients requiring weight loss to be eligible for surgery.
While the committee recognises the value in broader subsidies of GLP-1s for early intervention and prevention of obesity-related comorbidities, it says ‘such subsidy would need to be established as a program outside of the PBS as it would be difficult to achieve a cost-effective price of providing obesity medicines for these broader purposes’.
It also states that pharmacotherapy should sit alongside broader obesity management strategies, including diet and physical activity, with a need to improve access to such non-pharmacological interventions.
Dr Terri-Lynne South, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Obesity Management, GP and dietitian, welcomes the PBAC details as momentum gathers for more affordable access to the medicine.
‘I’m encouraged, it’s the first step and I’m hoping it’s successful so there’ll be greater indications in the future,’ she told newsGP.
‘It seems to me that it’s really coming down to money … we’re not arguing that these medications are very helpful, it’s really the price point.
‘The future is going to be bright no matter what, because there’s going to be market competition with more medications coming into Australia.
‘But practitioners and patients don’t want to wait, the issue is access and price is the biggest barrier there now.’
The PBAC notes the ‘rapid emergence of research in obesity treatments and real-world evidence in this area, which is expected to drive significant changes in cost, supply, dosing, and utilisation over coming years’. It also highlights the importance of real-world data to inform ‘effective, equitable, safe and cost-effective use’ of GLP-1 drugs. The RACGP recently said GPs are best placed to provide the real-world evidence of how these drugs work for their patients, and their potential side effects.
With more weight-loss treatments expected to enter the market in the coming years, patient out-of-pocket costs are also expected to go down.
‘Certainly, from a private prescriptions point of view, I’m already seeing the two main players having price reductions, so I’m hopeful that normal market forces will see that,’ Dr South said.
‘We’re hopeful for the future, but we’re talking years down the track, and because the public and practitioners know about these medications, they’re the ones who are advocating for the Government to look into this – to make access available for those who need [these medications] most, which are often the people who can least afford it.’
Dr South added that if Wegovy secures a listing on the PBS as a weight-loss treatment, GPs can be prepared for more patients asking about the drug.
‘GPs really need to understand that a lot of people are going to be asking about the medication, but it’s an extremely narrow patient cohort who would meet the current PBS recommendations,’ she said.
‘There’s going to be a lot of disappointment in patients not being able to access proven medication on the PBS listing.
‘But if we get one medication for obesity management on the PBS, then it opens up that space – we’ve had obesity management medications for many years, and not one has been on the PBS, yet we’ve got multiple medications for similar sorts of metabolic health conditions.’
With Minister Butler confirming the Government’s commitment to a PBS listing to make Wegovy more affordable for eligible Australians, the exact timeline for listing and specific pricing details are still being negotiated with the manufacturer. If an agreement is reached, a PBS listing could still be months away.
In the meantime, Dr South is ‘patiently’ optimistic.
‘At the same time, I’m also being prepared to be disappointed,’ she said.
‘Is the pharma company willing to come to the negotiation table in a way that’s going to be something that Australia can invest in?
‘But, it is a landmark thing even that the PBAC has recommended it to this stage.’
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cardiovascular disease GLP-1 obesity management PBAC PBS semaglutide subsidised medicines Wegovy weight-loss drugs
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