Wegovy vs Ozempic in Australia
Wegovy and Ozempic are both semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk. Wegovy is registered by the TGA for chronic weight management, with a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg a week and a 7.2 mg option given as three injections. Ozempic is registered for type 2 diabetes at doses up to 2 mg a week and is PBS-subsidised for that use only. On a private script a Wegovy pen costs more than an Ozempic pen at every strength sold.
Short answer
Wegovy is the registered weight-management product. Ozempic is registered and PBS-listed for type 2 diabetes; a script for weight loss is off-label and private. The one trial that compared the two dose levels, STEP 2 (type 2 diabetes, 68 weeks), found 9.6% weight loss on semaglutide 2.4 mg and a sponsor-reported 7.0% on 1 mg, against 3.4% on placebo. On 9 November 2026 Chemist Warehouse listed Wegovy 2.4 mg at $369.99 a pen and Ozempic 1 mg at $144.99 private or $25.00 on the PBS.
- Last updated:
- 9 November 2026
- Prices, PBS and supply checked:
- 9 November 2026
Prices at three retailers, the PBS Schedule effective 1 November 2026, the PBS medicine status records, the November 2026 PBAC agenda and the TGA shortage database were rechecked on 9 November 2026. Both Australian Product Information documents and the STEP 2 and SUSTAIN trial records were rechecked on 6 October 2026.
Compare Wegovy vs Ozempic at a Glance
Prices, PBS and supply rows as at 9 November 2026. Weight loss figures are trial averages at the highest dose studied; see the head-to-head section for the direct comparison.
The Evidence: STEP 2 and the Diabetes Trials
No trial has compared Ozempic with Wegovy as products. One trial has compared their doses. STEP 2 (Lancet, March 2021) randomised 1,210 adults with type 2 diabetes and a BMI of 27 or more to semaglutide 2.4 mg (the Wegovy maintenance dose), 1 mg (an Ozempic maintenance dose) or placebo for 68 weeks, with diet and exercise advice.
| Result at 68 weeks | Semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy dose) | Semaglutide 1 mg (Ozempic dose) |
|---|---|---|
| Average weight change | -9.6% | -7.0% |
| Lost 5% or more | 68.8% | not reported in the abstract |
| Any adverse event | 87.6% | 81.8% |
| Gastrointestinal adverse events | 63.5% | 57.5% |
Davies et al, Lancet 2021 (STEP 2). Placebo: -3.4% weight change, 28.5% lost 5% or more, 76.9% any adverse event, 34.3% gastrointestinal events. The 2.4 mg figures are from the published abstract. The 1 mg weight figure is sponsor-reported, from Novo Nordisk's trial announcement of 12 June 2020 (7.5% in people who took the medicine as intended). Sources 5 and 6 below.
The gap was 2.6 percentage points, in people with diabetes. No trial reports percentage weight loss for Ozempic doses in people without diabetes.
Everyone in STEP 2 had type 2 diabetes. In Novo Nordisk's trials people with diabetes lost less: Wegovy 2.4 mg produced 14.9% in STEP 1 (1,961 adults without diabetes, 68 weeks) and 9.6% in STEP 2.
The 1 mg result is not in the peer-reviewed abstract; it comes from the sponsor's announcement.
STEP 1, STEP 2 and the SUSTAIN trials quoted here were funded by Novo Nordisk, which makes both products.
These are averages. In STEP 2 three in ten people on 2.4 mg did not reach 5% loss.
The Ozempic Product Information reports weight in kilograms from diabetes trials in which blood glucose was the primary measure. SUSTAIN 1 (388 adults, 30 weeks, no other diabetes medicine): 3.7 kg lost on 0.5 mg, 4.5 kg on 1 mg, 1.0 kg on placebo. SUSTAIN 2 (1,231 adults, 56 weeks, against sitagliptin): 4.3 kg, 6.1 kg and 1.9 kg. SUSTAIN FORTE (961 adults, 40 weeks): 6.9 kg on 2 mg against 6.0 kg on 1 mg.
Stopping semaglutide at either dose is followed by regain. In the STEP 1 extension (an exploratory subset of 327 participants), people had regained two thirds of what they lost a year after stopping 2.4 mg. Australian Prescriber's December 2025 review: when treatment is stopped, regaining weight is the norm.
Wegovy vs Ozempic Prices in Australia
Prices checked 9 November 2026.
Ozempic is cheaper per pen than Wegovy on a private script, and far cheaper on the PBS for people who qualify. On 9 November 2026 Chemist Warehouse listed every Ozempic strength it sells at $144.99 private or $25.00 on a PBS authority script. Wegovy's three starter strengths were $249.99 and its two higher strengths $369.99. At the one dose both products share, 1 mg a week, a month of Wegovy cost $105 more than a month of private Ozempic.
One pen is four weekly doses for both products, so one pen is one month (the Ozempic 0.25/0.5 mg pen holds eight doses at 0.25 mg or four at 0.5 mg). Every Wegovy price is a private prescription; Medicare pays nothing. The Ozempic PBS price applies only to a script that meets the type 2 diabetes criteria below. Chemist Warehouse sells both in store only.
| Strength | Used as | Chemist Warehouse | Your Discount Chemist | Chemist Outlet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy 0.25 mg | Weeks 1 to 4 | $249.99 | $249.00 | $280.00 |
| Wegovy 0.5 mg | Weeks 5 to 8 | $249.99 | $249.00 | $280.00 |
| Wegovy 1 mg | Weeks 9 to 12 | $249.99 | $249.00 | $280.00 |
| Wegovy 1.7 mg | Weeks 13 to 16, or maintenance if 2.4 mg is not tolerated | $369.99 | $369.00 | $400.00 |
| Wegovy 2.4 mg | Maintenance from week 17 | $369.99 | $369.00 | $450.00 |
| Ozempic 0.25/0.5 mg (3 mL pen), private script | Weeks 1 to 8 of the diabetes schedule | $144.99 | $145.00 | $150.00 |
| Ozempic 0.25/0.5 mg (3 mL pen), PBS script | Type 2 diabetes, authority criteria | $25.00 | $25.00 | not shown |
| Ozempic 1 mg (3 mL pen), private script | Maintenance from week 9 | $144.99 | $145.00 | $150.00 |
| Ozempic 1 mg (3 mL pen), PBS script | Type 2 diabetes, authority criteria | $25.00 | $25.00 | not shown |
| Ozempic 2 mg (3 mL pen) | Highest diabetes dose | not listed | not listed | not listed |
Per pen, four weekly doses, read from the retailers' product pages on 9 November 2026. Chemist Warehouse and Your Discount Chemist show a concession price of $7.10; the PBS concessional co-payment is $7.70. Chemist Warehouse's 0.25/0.5 mg page is for the older 1.5 mL pen, which the TGA lists as deleted on 31 December 2025 and dispensable to 1 June 2026; it has no page for the 3 mL version. The Ozempic 2 mg pen is on the ARTG and in the Product Information but not on the November 2026 PBS schedule, and none of the three retailers lists it. Priceline, Terry White Chemmart, Amcal and Blooms do not publish prices online. The PBAC notes that GLP-1 prices vary significantly between pharmacies.
What the first year costs
| Path over 52 weeks (13 pens) | Cost at Chemist Warehouse prices |
|---|---|
| Ozempic on the PBS for type 2 diabetes, general patient | $325 |
| Ozempic on the PBS for type 2 diabetes, concession card | $100.10 |
| Ozempic on a private script, 0.25 mg to 1 mg by week 9 and stay there | $1,885 |
| Wegovy, step up to 2.4 mg by week 17 and stay there | $4,450 |
Illustrative. Assumes the registered step-up schedule with no delays, missed doses or price changes, and two starter pens for the first eight weeks of Ozempic. The PBS rows assume one pen per script (13 co-payments) and a patient who meets the type 2 diabetes criteria; a streamlined script for a stable patient can cover two pens, which halves the co-payments. Ozempic 2 mg is not priced because no retailer lists the pen. Wegovy 7.2 mg is three 2.4 mg pens a month, about $1,110 at the same prices.
Costs on top of the medicine
- A script every month or every few months. The average out-of-pocket cost of a standard consultation at a GP clinic that does not bulk bill was almost $50 in January 2026 (Cleanbill). Telehealth consultations cost $20 (Hims) to $89 (InstantScripts), or are bundled into a monthly program price of $338 to $499 at Juniper, Hims, Moshy, Mosh and hub.health.
- Pen needles. The Ozempic Product Information lists packs with needles (six with the 0.25/0.5 mg pen, four with the 1 mg and 2 mg pens) and packs without, and says not all pack sizes may be marketed. Wegovy FlexTouch packs include four needles. A 100-pack of NovoFine 32G 4 mm needles was $19.95 at Your Discount Chemist and Novofine Plus 32G 4 mm $24.99 at Chemist Outlet on 9 November 2026.
- A sharps container for used needles, sold by pharmacies.
- Blood tests or review appointments your prescriber asks for.
How these prices were checked
Prices were read from the product pages of Chemist Warehouse, Your Discount Chemist and Chemist Outlet on 9 November 2026. Chemist Warehouse and Your Discount Chemist prices were unchanged from 6 October 2026; the Chemist Outlet Wegovy 0.25 to 1.7 mg prices were not found at that check. Prices will be rechecked every three months; if a figure has gone unchecked for longer, the date at the top will say so. Novo Nordisk launched Wegovy in August 2024 at recommended prices of $460 for 2.4 mg, $380 for 1.7 mg and $260 for the starter doses. Chemist Warehouse and Your Discount Chemist prices are below all three figures. Chemist Outlet's 2.4 mg price ($450.00) is below the launch figure; its starter ($280.00) and 1.7 mg ($400.00) prices are above. No announcement of a change was found. No published Novo Nordisk recommended private price for Ozempic was found.
Compare Wegovy vs Ozempic Cost in Australia
Private prescription cost per month in AUD.
Is Wegovy or Ozempic on the PBS?
PBS status verified 9 November 2026
- Wegovy
- Not on the PBS.
- On 5 November 2025 the PBAC recommended a narrow listing for adults who have already had a heart attack, stroke or symptomatic peripheral arterial disease and have a BMI of 35 or more (32.5 or more for people of Asian, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background), on condition of a price cut and a risk-sharing deal. The outcome was published on 19 December 2025. Novo Nordisk lodged its documentation on 27 February 2026 and the PBS record shows it as "Not Accepted". A revised proposal was on the agenda of the PBAC's 4 to 6 November 2026 meeting; outcomes are due on the PBS website on 18 December 2026. If listed, that group would pay $25.00 a script ($7.70 concession); everyone else would still pay the private price.
- Ozempic
- Listed for type 2 diabetes only.
- The restriction, in force since 1 June 2024, requires that Ozempic be used with metformin, a sulfonylurea or insulin, that the diabetes has not responded adequately to at least one of those, and that an SGLT2 inhibitor has failed or cannot be used. The first script needs a telephone or online authority; continuing scripts are streamlined. The patient pays $25.00 general or $7.70 concession. Weight loss does not meet the criteria: in March 2025 the Department of Health sent more than 1,000 letters to doctors who had prescribed PBS Ozempic to patients with no history of type 2 diabetes, reminding them that off-label prescribing must be private. The 2 mg pen is not on the PBS.
- TGA registration
- The TGA has assessed the medicine as safe and effective for a stated use. Wegovy is registered for chronic weight management (adults and adolescents from 12) and to reduce major cardiovascular events in adults with established heart disease; Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and, since August 2025, type 2 diabetes with chronic kidney disease, not for weight management.
- PBS listing
- The government subsidises the medicine for a defined group, who pay the co-payment. Ozempic has this for type 2 diabetes under the criteria above. Wegovy has no listing for any use.
- Private prescription
- Written by a doctor, or a nurse practitioner within their scope of practice, for a TGA-registered medicine; you pay the pharmacy's full price. This is how everyone gets Wegovy, and how anyone gets Ozempic outside the PBS criteria.
- Private health extras
- Some funds pay a benefit on non-PBS prescription medicines, but weight-loss medicines are often excluded or capped. HCF excludes them. Teachers Health pays up to $60 a purchase on its Top Extras. Bupa pays on "select" weight-loss medicines with yearly limits.
Wegovy and Ozempic Supply in Australia
Supply status verified 9 November 2026
- Wegovy
- No shortage notice.
- The database lists no current, anticipated or resolved shortage for any Wegovy strength.
- Ozempic
- No current shortage.
- The TGA recorded a semaglutide shortage from 15 April 2022, which the PBAC attributed to off-label demand for weight loss, and removed Ozempic from its shortage list on 18 July 2025. The only entry now is the old 1.5 mL 0.25/0.5 mg pen, deleted on 31 December 2025 for commercial reasons and replaced by a 3 mL pen that delivers the same doses. The PBAC's advice page records that as of February 2026 the TGA advises there are no shortages of any GLP-1 medicine in Australia and that new patients can be prescribed them.
- Wegovy tablets
- Not yet supplied.
- The TGA registered Wegovy tablets (1.5, 4, 9 and 25 mg) on 3 November 2026. Novo Nordisk told newsGP it expects availability "later this year". None of the three retailers listed them on 9 November 2026, and the shortage database has no entry for them.
Different strengths of the same medicine can go short at different times. The database is the authority; this line is updated each quarter and whenever a notice appears.
Compare Wegovy vs Ozempic Weight Loss Efficacy
Wegovy Clinical Trials
Ozempic Clinical Trials
STEP 1
14.9% weight loss vs 2.4% placebo
SURMOUNT-5 (vs Mounjaro)
13.7% weight loss vs 20.2% with tirzepatide
STEP UP (7.2mg)
18.7% weight loss vs 15.6% at 2.4mg
SELECT
20% lower risk of major CV events (6.5% vs 8.0%)
OASIS 4 (25mg tablet)
13.6% weight loss vs 2.2% placebo
SUSTAIN 1
-3.7 kg (0.5mg) and -4.5 kg (1mg) vs -1.0 kg placebo (type 2 diabetes)
SUSTAIN FORTE
-6.9 kg at 2mg vs -6.0 kg at 1mg
FLOW (chronic kidney disease)
Kidney failure, 50% eGFR fall, or kidney or CV death 24% lower vs placebo (HR 0.76)
SURPASS-2 (vs Mounjaro)
-5.7 kg at 1mg vs -7.6 to -11.2 kg with tirzepatide
STEP 2 (1mg arm)
-7.0% (sponsor-reported) vs -3.4% placebo (type 2 diabetes)
Clinical trial data at highest approved doses. Individual results vary.
Compare Wegovy vs Ozempic Side Effects
Wegovy
Ozempic
Very common
- Nausea (38% vs 14% placebo)
- Diarrhoea (27%)
- Vomiting (22%)
- Constipation (22%)
- Headache (13%)
Common
- Abdominal pain
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Reflux and indigestion
- Gallstones (1.6%)
- Hair loss (2.5%)
- Injection site reactions
Serious (rare)
- Acute pancreatitis (0.2%)
- Gallbladder inflammation
- Dehydration and kidney injury
- Sudden vision loss (NAION)
- Bowel obstruction
- Severe allergic reaction
Very common
- Nausea (17-20% vs 6% on comparators)
- Diarrhoea (12-13%)
- Low blood sugar when used with insulin or a sulfonylurea
Common
- Vomiting (6-8%)
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain
- Indigestion
- Gallstones
- Decreased appetite
- Fatigue
Serious
- Acute pancreatitis
- Dehydration and kidney injury
- Diabetic retinopathy complications
- Sudden vision loss (NAION)
- Severe allergic reaction (rare)
Safety: What the Australian Product Information Says
Both products are semaglutide, so the warnings in the two Australian Product Information documents are largely the same text. The side-effect percentages differ because they come from different trials: Ozempic's from diabetes trials at 0.5 mg and 1 mg, Wegovy's from weight-management trials at 2.4 mg.
What to expect in the first months: Nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting are the common effects and they cluster around each dose increase. In Ozempic's pooled trials nausea occurred in 17.0% of people on 0.5 mg and 19.9% on 1 mg, against 6.3% on comparators; diarrhoea in 12.2% and 13.3%; vomiting in 6.4% and 8.4%. Gut effects led 3.9% (0.5 mg) and 5.9% (1 mg) to stop. In Wegovy's pooled trials 38.3% had nausea against 14.0% on placebo, and 4.3% stopped because of gut effects. The Wegovy document says to consider delaying the next dose step until symptoms improve.
Symptoms that need urgent medical attention, listed in both Consumer Medicine Information leaflets: severe and persistent pain in the stomach or back, with or without vomiting (possible pancreatitis); skin rash, wheezing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or a fast pulse (allergic reaction); and any sudden change in or loss of vision. Severe vomiting or diarrhoea can cause dehydration and kidney problems, and both leaflets say to keep drinking fluids.
Both Product Information documents carry the same warnings on pancreatitis (stop if suspected, do not restart if confirmed), gastroparesis, aspiration under general anaesthesia, acute kidney injury after dehydration, and suicidal thoughts or behaviour (a class warning the TGA aligned across GLP-1 medicines in December 2025). Both say that some epidemiological studies indicate an increased risk of NAION, a rare optic nerve condition, during treatment with semaglutide, and that treatment should stop if it is confirmed. Both are Pregnancy Category D, must be stopped at least two months before a planned pregnancy, and should not be used while breastfeeding. Ozempic's only formal contraindication is allergy to the ingredient. Since 3 November 2026 the Wegovy Product Information also contraindicates it in people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2).
Low blood sugar: Ozempic is used with other diabetes medicines, and its document warns of hypoglycaemia when combined with a sulfonylurea or insulin. The Wegovy document gives the STEP 2 figure for people with diabetes: clinically significant hypoglycaemia in 6.2% on Wegovy against 2.5% on placebo, higher again with a sulfonylurea.
Diabetic eye disease: the Ozempic document reports retinopathy complications in 3.0% of people on semaglutide against 1.8% on placebo in SUSTAIN 6, mostly in insulin-treated patients who already had retinopathy. Both documents say people with diabetic retinopathy need monitoring.
Age: Wegovy is registered for adolescents from 12. Ozempic has not been studied under 18.
Dose ceiling: Ozempic stops at 2 mg a week, and at 1 mg for people with chronic kidney disease. Wegovy's maintenance dose is 2.4 mg, with a 7.2 mg option given as three 2.4 mg injections.
Who needs extra assessment before starting, according to both documents: anyone with a history of pancreatitis, gastroparesis, diabetic eye disease, kidney impairment, severe (NYHA class IV) heart failure, or a history of suicidal thoughts. The Wegovy document adds that experience is limited in people with inflammatory bowel disease and people aged 85 or over.
This is not a complete list of adverse effects. The Consumer Medicine Information is.
Compare How Wegovy and Ozempic Work
Wegovy
GLP-1 receptor agonist
Same molecule as Ozempic at a higher dose (2.4mg, or 7.2mg given as three injections) registered for weight management. Mimics the GLP-1 hormone, reducing appetite, slowing gastric emptying and improving satiety. Registered as a weekly injection and, since 3 Nov 2026, a daily tablet (25mg maintenance).
Ozempic
GLP-1 receptor agonist
Mimics the natural hormone GLP-1. Slows gastric emptying, increases insulin production, reduces glucagon, and acts on appetite centres in the brain to reduce hunger. Once-weekly injection in abdomen, thigh, or upper arm.
Compare Wegovy vs Ozempic Dosing Schedule
Wegovy
Weekly injection (daily tablet registered Nov 2026, not yet on sale)
| Dose | Period | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 0.25mg | Weeks 1-4 | Starting dose |
| 0.5mg | Weeks 5-8 | Escalation |
| 1mg | Weeks 9-12 | Escalation |
| 1.7mg | Weeks 13-16 | Escalation |
| 2.4mg | Week 17+ | Maintenance dose |
| 1.7mg | Week 17+ | Maintenance if 2.4mg is not tolerated |
| 7.2mg (3 x 2.4mg) | After 4+ weeks on 2.4mg | Adults with starting BMI 30+; drop to 2.4mg if no further loss |
Ozempic
Weekly subcutaneous injection
| Dose | Period | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 0.25mg | Weeks 1-4 | Starting dose |
| 0.5mg | Week 5 onwards | Maintenance dose |
| 1mg | After at least 4 weeks on 0.5mg, if needed | Maintenance dose; highest dose for type 2 diabetes with chronic kidney disease |
| 2mg | After at least 4 weeks on 1mg, if needed | Maximum dose, type 2 diabetes only (2mg pen registered; not on the PBS) |
Compare Wegovy vs Ozempic Australian Regulatory Status
Wegovy
- TGA Status
- Registered for chronic weight management in adults (Sep 2022) and adolescents 12+ (Feb 2024, injection only), cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with established heart disease (Dec 2024) and, provisionally, MASH liver disease (Mar 2026, injection only). Tablets registered 3 Nov 2026 for adult weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction. Contraindicated with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2 (PI 3 Nov 2026).
- PBS Listed
- No. PBAC recommended a narrow listing on 5 Nov 2025. Documentation the sponsor lodged in Feb 2026 was not accepted. A revised proposal was on the agenda of the 4 to 6 Nov 2026 PBAC meeting; outcomes are due on the PBS website on 18 Dec 2026. Status as at 1 Nov 2026.
- PBS Criteria
- Proposed only (Nov 2026 agenda): adults with a documented prior heart attack or stroke, or symptomatic peripheral arterial disease, with BMI 35 or more; single-dose pens, Authority Required. Nothing is listed yet.
- Supply Status
- No TGA shortage notice for any Wegovy strength (checked Nov 2026). Tablets not yet supplied.
- Highest Dose
- 7.2 mg weekly approved in Australia (PI Jun 2026) as three 2.4 mg injections; no 7.2 mg pen is registered here
- Oral Pill
- Wegovy tablets 1.5, 4, 9 and 25mg registered 3 Nov 2026 (ARTG 522753, 522757, 522758, 522759) for adult weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction; not yet on sale; Novo Nordisk expects availability later this year; price not announced
Ozempic
- TGA Status
- Registered for type 2 diabetes (2019) and type 2 diabetes with chronic kidney disease (Aug 2025). Not registered for weight management.
- PBS Listed
- Yes, for type 2 diabetes with authority criteria (with metformin, a sulfonylurea or insulin, after an SGLT2 inhibitor has not worked, is contraindicated or was not tolerated; first script by telephone or online authority). $25.00 a script, $7.70 concession.
- Off-label Use
- A script for weight loss is private and at the prescriber's discretion. The TGA says advertising Ozempic for weight loss is illegal, and in Mar 2025 the Department of Health and Aged Care wrote to more than 1,000 doctors who had prescribed PBS Ozempic to patients with no history of type 2 diabetes, reminding them off-label prescribing must be private.
- Supply Status
- Shortage 15 Apr 2022 to 18 Jul 2025; no shortage notice as at 9 Nov 2026. The 1.5 mL starter pen was deleted 31 Dec 2025 and replaced by a 3 mL pen.
- Compounding
- Compounded versions banned from 1 October 2024
Getting a Prescription
Both are Schedule 4 prescription-only medicines. Compounded semaglutide has been illegal to make or supply in Australia since 1 October 2024. In March 2026 the TGA reported that laboratory tests of imported unregistered products labelled as GLP-1 found they contained none.
A GP, a specialist or a nurse practitioner (within their scope of practice; rules vary by state and territory) can prescribe either. The Wegovy Product Information sets the starting criteria: a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to 30 with at least one weight-related condition, alongside a reduced-energy diet and more physical activity. The Ozempic Product Information sets no weight criteria because weight management is not one of its uses.
An Ozempic script for weight loss is off-label. The TGA's shortage-period guidance, quoted by the University of Sydney in April 2024, said the regulator cannot regulate doctors' clinical decisions or prevent a doctor prescribing Ozempic for other conditions; in July 2025 RACGP's newsGP reported the TGA as saying Ozempic was continuing to be prescribed off-label. Advertising Ozempic for weight loss is illegal, even to health professionals. During the 2022 to 2025 shortage the TGA and RACGP asked prescribers to prioritise people with type 2 diabetes. No TGA statement on off-label use since the shortage notice was removed on 18 July 2025 was found. The PBAC's November 2025 document records that in 2024 about 1.2 million Ozempic units and about 800,000 Wegovy units were supplied to pharmacies outside the PBS. None of this is a recommendation to use Ozempic for weight loss.
Telehealth weight-loss services (Juniper, Hims, Moshy, Mosh, Youly, hub.health, InstantScripts and others) sell a monthly bundle of consultations, medicine and delivery; which medicine and dose you get is decided at the consultation, not by the bundle price.
Which Is Better?
For weight management, Wegovy is the registered product, with 14.9% average loss at 2.4 mg in STEP 1 (no diabetes) and 9.6% in STEP 2 (diabetes), against a sponsor-reported 7.0% at the Ozempic dose of 1 mg. For type 2 diabetes, Ozempic is the registered and PBS-subsidised product; Wegovy is neither. The molecule is the same; the registered purpose, the dose ceiling and who pays differ.
| Consideration | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Type 2 diabetes | Ozempic is registered for it and PBS-listed under criteria, at $25.00 a script ($7.70 concession). Wegovy is not registered for diabetes and not on the PBS |
| Weight management without diabetes | Wegovy is the registered product. Ozempic has no weight-management indication and no trial reports its percentage loss in people without diabetes |
| Dose you are aiming for | Ozempic's maximum is 2 mg; Wegovy's maintenance dose is 2.4 mg, with 7.2 mg as three injections. In STEP 2 the 2.4 mg dose produced 2.6 percentage points more loss than 1 mg |
| Monthly cost for as long as you take it | Private Ozempic $144.99 a pen, Wegovy $249.99 to $369.99 a pen, at Chemist Warehouse on 9 November 2026. Weight is usually regained after stopping, so this is a long-term bill |
| Gut side effects | Same molecule, same effects; trial rates rise with dose. Nausea 17.0% to 19.9% in Ozempic's diabetes trials, 38.3% in Wegovy's weight-management trials |
| Heart disease | Wegovy is registered to reduce major cardiovascular events in adults with established heart disease. Ozempic is registered to reduce cardiovascular death in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease |
| Kidney disease with diabetes | Ozempic carries the chronic kidney disease indication; its dose stops at 1 mg in that group |
| Age 12 to 17 | Only Wegovy is registered for adolescents |
Switching Between Them
No Australian guideline covers moving from Ozempic to Wegovy or back, and neither Product Information mentions the other product. The Wegovy document says only that it should not be used together with another GLP-1 medicine, and that it has not been studied in people treated with other weight-management products. The Ozempic document has no sentence on either point.
Because the molecule is the same, 1 mg of Wegovy is 1 mg of semaglutide, as is 1 mg of Ozempic. The pens and schedules are not the same. Ozempic's 0.25/0.5 mg pen is dialled to either dose; its 1 mg and 2 mg pens, and every Wegovy FlexTouch pen, hold four doses of one strength. Wegovy steps up every four weeks through 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 1.7 mg to 2.4 mg from week 17. Ozempic runs 0.25 mg for four weeks, 0.5 mg for at least four weeks, then 1 mg, with 2 mg available after at least four weeks at 1 mg to improve blood glucose further. Neither document says what to do with someone arriving from the other product; restarting the schedule or continuing at the current dose is the prescriber's call. Pharmacists have no basis to substitute one for the other: the only PBS a-flag on semaglutide covers the two Ozempic 0.25/0.5 mg pens, and Wegovy has no PBS listing.
Two further Novo Nordisk semaglutide brands, Plosbrio (Ozempic strengths) and Poviztra (Wegovy strengths), were entered on the ARTG on 23 April 2026. The TGA's Plosbrio records show Novo Nordisk declared zero Australian turnover for 2025-26, none of the three retailers lists either brand and no PBS item exists.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- Which product are you prescribing, for which registered use, and will the script be PBS or private?
- If it is Ozempic for weight loss, what does off-label mean for me, and what will the private price be each month at my pharmacy?
- Do I meet the Wegovy criteria in the Product Information, and which of my conditions count?
- Which maintenance dose are you aiming for, and over how many weeks?
- What should I do if nausea or vomiting is bad after a dose increase?
- I take insulin or a sulfonylurea. How will you manage the risk of low blood sugar?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek urgent care, including vision changes?
- What is the plan if I plateau, and what is the plan if I need to stop?
Wegovy vs Ozempic FAQ
Which is cheaper, Ozempic or Wegovy, in Australia?
Ozempic, per pen. On 9 November 2026 Chemist Warehouse listed Ozempic at $144.99 a pen on a private script, or $25.00 on a PBS script for type 2 diabetes. Wegovy was $249.99 a pen for the 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg strengths and $369.99 for 1.7 and 2.4 mg. Your Discount Chemist was within $1 of each figure; Chemist Outlet listed Ozempic at $150.00 and Wegovy at $280.00 (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg), $400.00 (1.7 mg) and $450.00 (2.4 mg).
How much is Wegovy in Australia per month?
One pen is one month. At Chemist Warehouse on 9 November 2026: $249.99 a month for the first 12 weeks of starter doses, then $369.99 a month at 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg. A first year that reaches 2.4 mg by week 17 costs about $4,450 at those prices, before consultations.
What does Wegovy 7.2 mg cost in Australia?
There is no 7.2 mg pen. The Australian Product Information gives the 7.2 mg dose as three 2.4 mg injections, so a month at 7.2 mg is three 2.4 mg pens, about $1,110 at Chemist Warehouse's $369.99 per pen on 9 November 2026.
Is Ozempic the same as Wegovy?
Same active ingredient, semaglutide, same company, different pens and registered uses. Ozempic is registered for type 2 diabetes at 0.25 mg to 2 mg a week; Wegovy for chronic weight management at up to 2.4 mg a week (or 7.2 mg as three injections), for adolescents from 12, and to reduce cardiovascular events in adults with heart disease.
Is 1 mg of Ozempic the same as 1 mg of Wegovy?
The dose is the same: 1 mg of semaglutide once a week. The products are separate ARTG registrations with separate indications, and 1 mg is a maintenance dose for Ozempic but a step towards 2.4 mg for Wegovy. The only trial to compare the two doses in the same people, STEP 2, found 9.6% weight loss at 2.4 mg and a sponsor-reported 7.0% at 1 mg over 68 weeks in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Is Wegovy on the PBS in Australia?
No. The PBAC recommended a narrow listing on 5 November 2025 for adults with a prior heart attack, stroke or symptomatic peripheral arterial disease and a BMI of 35 or more. Novo Nordisk's documentation lodged in February 2026 is recorded as "Not Accepted", and a revised proposal was on the agenda of the PBAC meeting of 4 to 6 November 2026, with outcomes due on the PBS website on 18 December 2026. No listing date is set, and the recommended group excludes most people taking it for weight loss.
Can I get Ozempic on the PBS for weight loss?
No. The PBS listing covers type 2 diabetes under authority criteria; a script for weight loss is private, at the full pharmacy price. In March 2025 the Department of Health wrote to more than 1,000 doctors who had prescribed PBS Ozempic to patients without type 2 diabetes to remind them of this.
Why are people using Ozempic instead of Wegovy?
The PBAC's November 2025 document records that in 2024 about 1.2 million Ozempic units and about 800,000 Wegovy units were supplied to pharmacies outside the PBS, and that from January to July 2025 the 1 mg dose was the most supplied semaglutide dose on the private market. It does not record why. Private Ozempic cost $105 a month less than Wegovy at the same 1 mg dose at Chemist Warehouse on 9 November 2026. Ozempic is not registered for weight management, and advertising it for that use is illegal.
What are the Wegovy doses?
0.25 mg a week for weeks 1 to 4, 0.5 mg for weeks 5 to 8, 1 mg for weeks 9 to 12, 1.7 mg for weeks 13 to 16, then 2.4 mg as the maintenance dose. People who cannot tolerate 2.4 mg can stay on 1.7 mg. The current Australian Product Information (revised 22 June 2026) also allows a 7.2 mg maintenance dose, given as three 2.4 mg injections, for adults who started with a BMI of 30 or more, after at least four weeks on 2.4 mg.
Is there a Wegovy or Ozempic pill in Australia?
Wegovy tablets (oral semaglutide 1.5, 4, 9 and 25 mg) were registered for weight management on 3 November 2026; on 9 November 2026 they were not on sale at Chemist Warehouse, Your Discount Chemist or Chemist Outlet and no Australian price had been published. There is no Ozempic tablet. Rybelsus is the oral semaglutide registered for type 2 diabetes.
How do Ozempic and Wegovy compare with Mounjaro on cost?
At Chemist Warehouse on 9 November 2026: Ozempic $144.99 a pen private ($25.00 PBS for type 2 diabetes); Wegovy $249.99 (starter doses) to $369.99 (1.7 and 2.4 mg); Mounjaro $279.99 (2.5 mg starter), $389.99 (5 mg), $539.99 (7.5 and 10 mg) and $689.99 (12.5 and 15 mg). Mounjaro is tirzepatide, a different molecule, and is not on the PBS for any use.
Sources and References
- Ozempic Australian Product Information, Novo Nordisk, revised 25 September 2026
- Ozempic Consumer Medicine Information, Novo Nordisk, August 2026
- Wegovy Australian Product Information, Novo Nordisk, revised 3 November 2026
- Wegovy FlexTouch Consumer Medicine Information, July 2026
- Davies M et al. Semaglutide 2.4 mg once a week in adults with overweight or obesity, and type 2 diabetes (STEP 2). Lancet 2021
- Novo Nordisk, STEP 2 headline results announcement, 12 June 2020
- Wilding JPH et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med 2021
- Wilding JPH et al. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide (STEP 1 extension). Diabetes Obes Metab 2022
- FrÃas JP et al. Efficacy and safety of once-weekly semaglutide 2.0 mg versus 1.0 mg in patients with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN FORTE). Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2021
- TGA, Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, Ozempic entries, read 6 October 2026
- TGA, Ozempic registration decision: chronic kidney disease indication, 18 August 2025
- TGA, ARTG 446290, Ozempic 0.25/0.5 mg 3 mL pen
- TGA, ARTG 523180, Plosbrio 0.25/0.5 mg pen
- TGA, Wegovy registration records (weight management 2022, adolescents 2024, cardiovascular 2024, MASH 2026)
- Healthdirect, Ozempic brand page (PBS listing verified 1 October 2026)
- PBS, restriction changes to type 2 diabetes medicines, 1 June 2024
- PBS, fees, patient contributions and safety net thresholds
- PBAC, Obesity treatments public summary document, November 2025 meeting
- PBAC outcomes, November 2025 meeting
- PBS Medicine Status, semaglutide (Wegovy), November 2025 submission
- PBS Medicine Status, semaglutide (Wegovy), November 2026 submission
- PBAC advice on equitable access to GLP-1 obesity treatments, updated 17 March 2026
- Drug Utilisation Sub-Committee, semaglutide utilisation analysis, June 2024
- TGA Medicine Shortage Reports Database, semaglutide
- Novo Nordisk Australia, product update notifications (Ozempic removed from the TGA shortage list 18 July 2025)
- Diabetes Australia, Ozempic supply returning to normal in Australia, 23 July 2025
- Pharmacy Daily, 3 mL Ozempic pens to replace 1.5 mL, 6 June 2025
- TGA, Advertising Ozempic and GLP-1 receptor agonists is prohibited
- TGA, GLP-1 RAs: warnings aligned over potential risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviours, 1 December 2025
- TGA, GLP-1 RAs and rare vision disorder (NAION), 23 July 2026
- TGA, Update on GLP-1 RA pharmacy compounding changes, 18 June 2024
- TGA, Counterfeit weight loss products claiming to contain GLP-1, 2 March 2026
- Australian Prescriber, Injectable drugs for weight management, 9 December 2025
- AJGP, Pharmacotherapy for the management of overweight and obesity, April 2025
- Healthdirect, Weight loss medicine
- University of Sydney, Ozempic isn't approved for weight loss in Australia, so how are people accessing it?, 4 April 2024
- RACGP newsGP, Semaglutide shortage prompts caution around off-label prescribing, 27 May 2022
- RACGP newsGP, Push for weight-loss drugs' PBS listing ramps up, 4 July 2025
- RACGP newsGP, Wegovy launches in Australia (launch prices), 2 August 2024
- Chemist Warehouse, Ozempic 1.34 mg/mL 3 mL pen, read 9 November 2026
- Chemist Warehouse, Wegovy 2.4 mg FlexTouch pen, read 9 November 2026
- Chemist Warehouse, Wegovy 0.25 mg FlexTouch pen, read 9 November 2026
- Your Discount Chemist, Ozempic 1 mg 3 mL pen, read 9 November 2026
- Your Discount Chemist, Ozempic 0.25/0.5 mg 3 mL pen, read 9 November 2026
- Your Discount Chemist, Wegovy listings, read 9 November 2026
- Chemist Outlet, Ozempic 1.34 mg/mL 3 mL pen, read 9 November 2026
- Chemist Outlet, Ozempic 0.25/0.5 mg 3 mL pen, read 9 November 2026
- Chemist Outlet, Wegovy 2.4 mg FlexTouch pen, read 9 November 2026
- Your Discount Chemist, NovoFine 32G 4 mm pen needles 100-pack, read 9 November 2026
- Cleanbill 2026 Blue Report, 11 January 2026
- Juniper pricing and programs, read 6 October 2026
- Hims Australia, How much does Hims cost?, read 6 October 2026
- InstantScripts pricing, read 6 October 2026
- hub.health weight loss program, read 6 October 2026
- HCF, Claiming prescriptions and PBS medications
- Bupa, Pharmacy cover FAQs
- Teachers Health, Medications used for weight loss
- Healthdirect, Mounjaro brand page (Schedule 4, prescriber types)
- Chemist Warehouse, Mounjaro KwikPen 5 mg, read 9 November 2026
- PBS, Nurse Practitioner PBS prescribing (private prescriptions within scope of practice and state or territory law)
- Chemist Outlet, Wegovy 0.25 mg FlexTouch pen, read 9 November 2026 (0.5 mg and 1 mg pages read the same day)
- Chemist Outlet, Wegovy 1.7 mg FlexTouch pen, read 9 November 2026
- Chemist Outlet, Novofine Plus 32G 4 mm pen needles 100-pack, read 9 November 2026
- PBAC, November 2026 meeting agenda
- PBS calendars (PBAC November 2026 outcomes publication date)
- TGA ARTG search, Wegovy entries (tablets entered 3 November 2026), read 9 November 2026
- RACGP newsGP, TGA approves Wegovy weight-loss pill, 4 November 2026
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Medication Cost CalculatorThis website is for informational and research purposes only.
We are not medical professionals and nothing on this page constitutes medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified doctor or specialist before making any decisions about medication.
The weight loss medication landscape in Australia is changing rapidly. Information on this page may become outdated without notice. Last reviewed 9 November 2026.