GLP-1 medications can support weight loss, but ongoing nutrition, exercise and medical monitoring are essential. Next Practice Newstead provides personalised weight management care.
If it feels like everyone's suddenly talking about Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro, that's not just perception. A UNSW Sydney study published in mid-2026 found that regular use of GLP-1 medicines in Australia jumped from around 58,000 people in 2020 to roughly 500,000 by 2025, a genuine, rapid shift in how weight and metabolic health are being managed medically. But a lot of what's circulating about cost, access and safety is either outdated or ahead of where things actually stand. Here's the accurate picture, and what it means if you're in Newstead, Fortitude Valley or inner-city Brisbane considering this conversation with a GP.
GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide, found in Ozempic and Wegovy; tirzepatide, found in Mounjaro) work by mimicking a natural gut hormone that regulates appetite, slows digestion and affects insulin release. Clinically, they're associated with meaningful weight loss when combined with dietary and lifestyle changes, but they're prescription medications requiring proper assessment, not an over-the-counter shortcut.
Here's where a lot of online information gets ahead of itself: as of mid-2026, no GLP-1 medicine is yet PBS-subsidised for weight loss in the general population. In November 2025, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee recommended listing Wegovy for a specific group, adults with a BMI of 35+ (32.5+ for some populations) and an established history of cardiovascular disease, such as a prior heart attack or stroke, contingent on price negotiations with the manufacturer. The Health Minister endorsed that recommendation in January 2026, but formal listing, price negotiation and implementation had not been finalised as of the PBS's own status update in July 2026. Outside that narrow proposed group, most patients currently pay the private cost, typically $300–450 per month.
The direction of travel is toward broader, more affordable access, but if you've seen headlines implying it's already cheap and available to everyone, that's not accurate yet.
A study presented at the Endocrine Society's ENDO 2026 meeting found something worth knowing before starting: people losing weight on GLP-1 medications became significantly less physically active, not more, the opposite of what many assume happens once weight comes off. These medications can also reduce lean muscle mass alongside fat. Neither of these is a reason to avoid treatment, but they're a strong argument for not treating a prescription as the whole plan. Maintaining strength through resistance activity and adequate protein intake matters just as much while on these medications as before starting them.
There's also a well-documented pattern of rapid weight regain after stopping GLP-1 treatment, which is exactly why ongoing medical supervision, not a one-off prescription, is the appropriate way to use these medications.
Genuine candidacy depends on your full health picture: BMI, metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors, other medications, and realistic goals, all things a proper clinical assessment covers and a quick online questionnaire generally doesn't.
At Next Practice Newstead, GLP-1 medications sit within our broader Weight Management and Longevity & Metabolic Health program, led by Dr Wesley Chan, which includes thorough assessment of medical, hormonal, lifestyle and psychological factors before any medication decision, plus ongoing monitoring. Our dietitian Sam Armstrong works alongside this program specifically to protect muscle mass, manage nutrition during treatment, and support the plan for what happens after, the part most conversations about these medications skip entirely.
The honest starting point is a real conversation, not a script. If you're weighing up whether a GLP-1 medication is appropriate for your situation, that's exactly what a Weight Management consult is for.
Book a Weight Management consultation at Next Practice Newstead, 520 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley, serving Newstead, Teneriffe, Bowen Hills, New Farm and the Brisbane CBD.
This article is general information only and isn't a substitute for individual medical advice. Eligibility, safety and suitability for any weight loss medication can only be determined through a proper clinical assessment with your GP.
UNSW Sydney. (2026). Half a million Australians are regularly using GLP-1 medicines: study. unsw.edu.au
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. PBAC advice on equitable access to GLP-1 obesity treatments. pbs.gov.au
Ask My GP. GLP-1 Medicines in Australia — Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy and Others, citing PBS Medicine Status update, 23 July 2026. askmygp.com.au
Endocrine Society (ENDO 2026). People taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs started moving less. Summarised via ScienceDaily
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