Health · Pharma & Biotech · 2 hrs ago
Australia clears daily Wegovy weight-loss pill
Australia’s medicines regulator has cleared Novo Nordisk’s daily Wegovy pill for use in the country.
It is the first GLP-1 medicine approved in Australia as a tablet; until now, patients with prescriptions have used weekly injections.
Patients will need a doctor’s prescription, and the approval covers people with obesity and people who need to reduce cardiovascular risk.
The pill contains semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy, but it is taken daily rather than by injection.
The tablet is not ready for release yet because the regulator still needs to check its packaging and production processes against quality standards.
Under current rules, Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme subsidises weight-loss drugs only for people with type 2 diabetes, and no Australian price guide has been set.
The medicine may become available after the checks are complete, while rival Eli Lilly’s oral weight-loss drug is still awaiting a regulator’s decision.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has cleared Novo Nordisk’s daily Wegovy tablet for use.
It is the first GLP-1 weight-loss drug approved by the TGA in oral form.
The tablet requires a doctor’s prescription and is approved for people with obesity and those needing to reduce cardiovascular risk.
The TGA still needs to review packaging and production processes before the product can be released.
A price guide for Australia has not been set.
- Who
- The Therapeutic Goods Administration cleared the tablet, which is made by Novo Nordisk.
- What
- A daily Wegovy tablet was cleared for use. It is the first GLP-1 drug approved by the TGA in oral form.
- When
- Tuesday, 3 November 2026.
- Where
- Australia.
- Why
- It is approved for people with obesity and those needing to reduce cardiovascular risk.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The pill was approved in the United States and Europe.
The TGA cleared the Wegovy tablet for use in Australia.
The TGA still needs to review the tablet’s packaging and production processes before it can be released.
- Manufacturer
- Novo Nordisk
- Approved strengths
- 1.5 mg, 4 mg, 9 mg and 25 mg
- Prescription
- A doctor’s prescription is required
- PBS subsidy
- Under current rules, weight-loss drugs are subsidised only for people with type 2 diabetes
- Release condition
- TGA review of packaging and production processes remains pending