Australians wanting to take weight-loss drugs will no longer have to inject themselves, with the first daily tablet version now medically approved.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) cleared various doses of the Wegovy tablet, made by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, on Tuesday.
Previously, Australians had to take the GLP-1 weight-loss drug in the form of a weekly injection.
The daily tablet form of the appetite-suppressing medication was approved for use in the UK in June and in the US late last year.
Novo Nordisk said it expected the pill would be available in Australia before the end of the year.
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"We will share confirmed availability timing as soon as we can," a spokesperson said.
Endocrinologist John Wentworth welcomed the news, saying it would make the drug easier for patients to take.
He said trial data indicated the tablet version of the drug worked just as well as the jabs.
He told ABC News Breakfast that many individuals prefer to avoid self-injecting, particularly when travelling.
"People don't like injecting themselves ... they're going on a holiday," he said.
"So instead of taking the needles, they'll transition onto the tablets and then come back."
The TGA said it had approved the drug for weight management and for reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, like stroke or heart attack, in eligible adults.
The tablets have been approved in 1.5mg, 4mg, 9mg and 25mg strengths, and added to the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
The price of the pill version of the drugs has not been announced, but the injectables are not on Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, except for those with Type 2 Diabetes.
As a result, about 400,000 Australians currently pay up to $5,000 a year to access Wegovy, Ozempic and other GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.
The federal government is currently in negotiations with the manufacturer to bring Wegovy onto the scheme for a small cohort of extra patients, which would bring the price down to $25 per script or $7.70 for concession card holders.
The approval would also make the drug cheaper and more accessible, Wentworth said.
"When the price comes down, we will be treating these just as we treat a blood pressure or a cholesterol medication because they have such powerful benefits to keep us well for longer."
SBS News has contacted the federal health department for comment.
