Obesity management needs medications on PBS: RACGP The college’s new obesity position statement calls for extra funding to treat the complex condition and for care to be made affordable for more patients.
Wegovy approved for cutting cardiovascular disease risk The TGA has approved semaglutide (sold as Wegovy) as an adjunct to standard of care therapy to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in overweight and obese adults.
Most GPs discover medication shortages through patients: Poll A new survey highlights the urgency of improving measures to communicate supply chain disruptions, with patients increasingly feeling an impact.
World experts urge overhaul of obesity definition The Global Commission on Clinical Obesity says diagnosis must change, setting out new criteria, categories, and calling on doctors to go ‘beyond BMI’.
Dire 60-day script predictions fail to materialise As well as saving patients money, more pharmacies have opened than have closed since the policy first came into effect in September 2023.
PBS co-payment freeze rolls out In 2025, the maximum patient cost for all PBS medicines will remain the same as in 2024 instead of increasing with indexation.
Mounjaro expanded to include weight management The TGA has approved tirzepatide for the treatment of overweight and obesity for those with comorbidities, via private prescription.
Funding boost for ‘shared care model’ to improve diabetes outcomes The Australian-first trial will see general practices collaborate with exercise physiologists to improve outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Study links semaglutide and suicidal ideation risk There are calls for urgent investigation into its impact on mental health, but GPs are urging caution when interpreting the research.
List of dementia risk factors grows The addition of untreated vision loss and high LDL cholesterol have bumped up the number of modifiable risk factors to 14.