September 11th 2024.
A new medication, previously only used to treat diabetes, has been given the green light by the Therapeutic Goods Administration to also be used for obesity. This decision, which was made just yesterday, follows the approval of Mounjaro in the UK and USA for treating obesity. However, it is important to note that Mounjaro, which contains the active ingredient tirzepatide, is not intended for cosmetic weight loss, but rather for chronic weight management in individuals with obesity or who are overweight and have related health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, prediabetes, or sleep apnoea.
In other news, there have been live updates of chaos in Melbourne as police clashed with anti-war protesters. But back to our topic, Mounjaro was first introduced in Australia last September for the treatment of diabetes. Just like the weight loss drug Ozempic, the demand for Mounjaro quickly exceeded the supply, leading the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly to issue an alert in November about shortages due to "unexpected demand". The TGA also noted that, similar to Ozempic, Mounjaro is primarily indicated for type 2 diabetes treatment, but is being prescribed at high levels for weight loss.
According to Eli Lilly, the availability of Mounjaro is expected to be limited until 2024, with two doses of the vials currently out of stock. However, they have assured that the KwikPen is still in stock and can be used as a replacement. A spokesperson for the company also stated that there is enough stock to meet the current demand. It is worth mentioning that Mounjaro is not cheap, with a starting cost of $395 per month.
Clinical trials sponsored by Eli Lilly have shown that obese patients who took the highest doses of Mounjaro lost up to 20% of their body weight. However, there are three common side effects associated with the medication: diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Additionally, there are rare but serious side effects such as acute pancreatitis and gall bladder disease that are included in the drug's warnings.
Associate Professor Samantha Hocking from the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney believes that some individuals living with obesity may require medication to improve their health. She explains that simply eating less and exercising more may not be enough for some people to achieve a healthier weight in the long term. Hocking also emphasizes that we need to challenge outdated views and remove the unnecessary blame often placed on individuals with excess weight. It is a known fact that obesity increases the risk of various diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Even a small reduction of 5% in body weight can significantly lower the risk of obesity-related complications such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
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