Aug 14, 2026 – 3.52pmNovo Nordisk, the Danish maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, has called on the Albanese government to implement a targeted, staged rollout of subsidies for weight-loss drugs – currently only available on the private market – arguing obesity is costing the economy $40 billion a year.“We agree with Health Minister Mark Butler that access to these medicines should not depend solely on a person’s capacity to pay,” Michael Azrak, Novo Nordisk’s general manager for Oceania, said on Friday.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
Ozempic drugmaker calls for targeted weight-loss drug subsidies
Novo Nordisk, which also makes Wegovy, is maintaining pressure on the government for a PBS listing, arguing obesity is costing the economy $40 billion a year.
102 words~1 min read
