The national essential medicines list committee has prioritised the review of glucagon-like peptide GLP-1 medicines, according to a senior health department official.
The review will determine whether the drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity will be added to SAs essential medicines list and provided to state patients. The review will include an assessment of the affordability of GLP-1, said the health departments deputy director-general for primary healthcare, Jeanette Hunter.
In September, the World Health Organisation WHO added GLP-1s to its essential drugs list for managing diabetes and on Monday released a new guideline for their use as a long-term obesity treatment.
