Ultra-cheap Ozempic is coming. That’s a mixed blessing for Australians

April 13, 2026 — 7:30pm

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In four odd years, everything will change for Australians on Ozempic. The weight loss wonder drug will go from costing about $300 a month for private patients, depending on the dosage, to a small fraction of that.

In late 2029, and then again in 2031, two patents for Ozempic expire in Australia, opening the way for cheap generics to flood the market.

Indian patients already know this life. Canadians will soon, too. Overweight Chinese, Turkish and South African people are all on track for cheap weight loss drugs within months as patents in those countries expire. There, the estimated half million Australians taking weight loss drugs – and many more who would like to but cannot afford it – can see a glimpse of their future.

In India, local drugmaker Natco Pharma is offering a generic version of Ozempic for 1290 rupees a month, or about $20, though that will require users to inject themselves with a syringe from a vial. Jabs via a pen-style device will cost about 4500 rupees a month.

Either way, it’s a fraction of the $299 that many Australian telehealth outfits charge each month for Ozempic, its weight loss brand name Wegovy, or........

© The Sydney Morning Herald