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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re committed to listing every recommendation we receive from that group of experts,\u201d he acknowledged.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s beyond the means of many Australians who really would benefit from this. It\u2019s an equity issue as well as a health issue from my perspective,\u201d Butler said.<\/p>\n
![\"Health](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/06d9d774f5c2f149a34ab9dbdbc38c65533667cc.png\")
Health Minister Mark Butler has told Sunrise he\u2019s \u2018committed\u2019 to listing weight-loss drugs on the PBS. Credit: Sunrise<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Butler hailed the drugs as \u201can extraordinary innovation we\u2019re seeing sweeping the world\u201d, while acknowledging further work lies ahead as their use expands.<\/p>\n
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