Waitlist for weight loss pill grows as Australian release nears - but millions likely to miss out

Key points

• More than 10,000 people are on a waitlist for an Ozempic-style weight loss pill that is moving closer to approval in Australia. The Therapeutic Goods Administration is working through the approval process.
• The pill has already been approved in the United States and the United Kingdom. Dr Ginni Mansberg said it could arrive by Christmas, though next year looks more likely.
• For most Australians the cost is expected to match the injections, up to $600 a month, which she says many people cannot afford.