A daily tablet for weight management has been approved in Australia

If you've caught the news this week, you may have seen that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved the first GLP-1 weight-management medicine that comes as a tablet. Until now, medicines in this group have only been available in Australia as a weekly injection.

Plenty of details are still to come, but some things are already clear.

Who is it for?

It's a prescription-only medicine. The TGA has approved it for long-term weight management in adults, used together with a reduced-kilojoule diet and more physical activity. It's also approved to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke in some adults.

In practice, that generally means adults with a BMI of 30 or over, or a BMI between 27 and 30 who also have a weight-related condition such as knee osteoarthritis or fatty liver disease. Your GP will look at the whole picture, not just a number on a chart.

How is a tablet different from the injection?

The obvious change is one tablet a day instead of one injection a week. No pens to keep in the fridge and no sharps to get rid of.

The trade-off is the routine. Tablets in this group aren't generally absorbed well, so timing matters. Subject to your doctor's directions, it will likely be taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with a small sip of water, and at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking any other tablets. Some people will find that easy to fit in. Others won't.

How well does it work compared with the injection?

In the main clinical trial, adults taking the tablet alongside diet and exercise support lost an average of 13.6% of their body weight over 64 weeks. People taking a placebo lost 2.2%.

That's broadly in line with earlier trials of the weekly injection, where people lost around 15% over 68 weeks. The two haven't been tested against each other in the same study yet, so it's too early to say whether one works better. Your GP can talk you through what the research means for you.

Side effects

Most side effects are gut-related and similar to the injections: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation. Some people also get headaches, tiredness or dizziness. The TGA has flagged less common but more serious risks as well, including dehydration that can affect the kidneys, and pancreatitis.

It shouldn't be combined with other medicines from the same group, so make sure your doctor and pharmacist know everything you take, including anything you buy without a script.

When will it be available, and what will it cost?

The manufacturer is aiming for later this year. No price has been announced yet. It isn't on the PBS, so most people are likely to pay the full private price.

Where to start

Book in with your regular GP.

RACGP President Dr Michael Wright made the same point to newsGP, saying these medicines are "best prescribed by someone who knows you and your history". Your GP can also help with the diet and exercise side of things, which matters just as much.

If you have questions about medicines you already take, pop in and have a chat with one of our pharmacists.