RACGP urges practical GLP-1 rules as PBS review approaches
23 Sep 2026
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) is due to review the use of GLP-1 medicines for type 2 diabetes at its November meeting. The review will consider whether changes introduced on 1 June 2024 have helped ensure these medicines are being prescribed to patients who meet the PBS criteria.
The 2024 changes moved the Authority Required process for starting PBS prescriptions from streamlined approval to telephone or electronic approval. Continuing treatment remained available through streamlined authority arrangements.
In its submission to the PBAC, the RACGP said it supports examining prescribing and usage patterns. It also said the review should consider whether current PBS rules are achieving their purpose without making appropriate treatment harder to access.
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said GLP-1 medicines are effective but can have serious side effects, making appropriate prescribing and monitoring important.
He also said the cost of GLP-1 medicines needs to be considered alongside the wider costs of managing diabetes. The RACGP wants patients who need these medicines to have equitable access while ensuring healthcare spending provides value.
The college also called for PBS requirements to be clear, clinically appropriate and practical for general practice.
It said prescribing decisions should be based on individual patient needs, circumstances and current evidence. The RACGP also highlighted the role of other diabetes medicines, including sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, and noted that guidelines support using GLP-1 and SGLT2 medicines together in appropriate patients.
The RACGP continues to support streamlined authority arrangements for GLP-1 medicines. It said telephone and online approvals can add administrative work for GPs and patients and reduce the time available for clinical care.
The submission also noted that GLP-1 medicines may be prescribed privately for conditions such as overweight, obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea. The RACGP said considering this wider prescribing activity could help the PBAC better understand current usage patterns.
The college also warned that prescribing patterns may change as newer medicines and technologies, including continuous glucose monitors, become available. It said current utilisation data should therefore not automatically be treated as a fixed baseline for future PBS restrictions.
RACGP urges practical GLP-1 rules as PBS review approaches
Source: Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).