The drug Ozempic offers great hope for people living with obesity, University of Newcastle Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics Clare Collins says.
"We've been waiting 15-plus years for there to be better drugs available for treating weight-related health," Professor Collins said.
"It's very needed. It's really positive and optimistic for people living with a range of health-related weight conditions."
Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has rebranded Ozempic as Wegovy for "chronic weight management".
Australia has a shortage of Ozempic due to strong demand for its off-label use for weight loss. The drug was designed to treat type 2 diabetes, but its ability to suppress appetite has changed the market.
Pharmacists expect Wegovy, which is registered with the TGA, to be available in Australia by the end of next year.
"For people living with obesity, it will be an alternative to bariatric surgery which is the only effective long-term treatment at the moment," Professor Collins said.
"As these drugs become available, people living with obesity will have choice and hope."
She said health authorities should be planning for when Wegovy hits the market, and those who use the drug should be referred into "comprehensive care" for heart health, diet and exercise.
She said it would be a poor result if people on the drug turn to "a burger meal and coke" at the times when they do eat.
The TGA [Therapeutic Goods Administration] has advised prescribers not to put new patients on the drug due to the supply shortage.
Pharmacist and dietitian John Jones, of Darby Street Pharmacy, expects strong demand for Wegovy when it hits the market.
"There are competitors. There's a new one called Mounjaro," he said.
"It works slightly differently and has potentially better weight loss."
The drugs aren't cheap, prompting calls for the TGA to list them on the PBS for weight loss.
Ozempic costs about $160 a month. Wegovy and Mounjaro are expected to cost about $315 to $645 a month, depending on the strength.
Ozempic has boomed as a weight-loss drug in the US, coinciding with reported falls in food and alcohol sales.
Analysts are monitoring whether demand for junk food will fall with the rise of appetite-suppressing medications.
There is also discussion about whether the drugs will lead to falls in other drugs that treat obesity-related problems, such as kidney disease.
"That's a sign that this is real and these medications are here to stay," Professor Collins said.
She said people shouldn't face stigma for seeking drugs to treat obesity, but added that Ozempic/Wegovy was "a powerful drug, so of course it has side effects".
"It won't be suitable for everyone."
Novo Nordisk states that the most common side effects of Ozempic are diarrhoea, nausea, stomach pain and constipation.
Gastrointestinal problems, including rare cases of pancreatitis, have been reported to the TGA.
