As at 6 September 2026, Wegovy and Mounjaro are approved in New Zealand but unfunded for weight management. Dulaglutide and liraglutide are funded for eligible people with type 2 diabetes. 1 2

Medsafe approval and Pharmac funding answer different questions. Neither tells you whether your pharmacy has the prescribed product in stock. Confirm supply separately. 2

What changed with Pharmac funding?

Diabetes funding criteria widened on 1 September 2026. This did not create funded access for weight management or add semaglutide or tirzepatide to the community Schedule. 1

For dulaglutide and liraglutide, HbA1c and prior-treatment requirements remain. These include six months of empagliflozin, metformin and vildagliptin where clinically appropriate. Your prescriber checks eligibility. 1

Funding them alongside empagliflozin remains restricted, with an exception when empagliflozin is funded for heart failure. These are funding rules, not instructions to change your treatment. 1

Wegovy is on Pharmac's Options for Investment List. That means it has been assessed and prioritised, not that funding or a start date is guaranteed. 2

Semaglutide in New Zealand

Wegovy contains semaglutide and is approved for chronic weight management. Its data sheet records first approval on 20 March 2025. Approval does not make it publicly funded. 2 3

Ozempic also contains semaglutide, but its NZ indications are diabetes-related. Using it solely for weight management is outside those listed indications, rather than the same approved use as Wegovy. 4

Medsafe records Ozempic approval, but lists its NZ presentation as “Not available”. Do not interpret approval as confirmation of routine local supply; ask your pharmacist about the exact product. 4

See the separate Ozempic in New Zealand guide for product-specific questions.

Tirzepatide availability and evidence

Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which acts at both GIP and GLP-1 receptors. Its NZ data sheet records first approval on 22 December 2025 and indications for adult type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management. 5

Pharmac's 14 May 2026 update reported a diabetes funding application under assessment, but no weight-management application. That dated position is not a promise about future funding. 2

In SURMOUNT-5, 751 adults with obesity but without diabetes were randomised to tirzepatide or semaglutide. Average weight reduction at 72 weeks was 20.2% versus 13.7%. 6

The trial compared maximum tolerated weekly doses: tirzepatide 10 or 15 mg and semaglutide 1.7 or 2.4 mg. These results do not describe every dose or predict an individual's response. 6

It was open-label and funded by Eli Lilly. The comparison supports greater average weight loss in that setting, not a conclusion that tirzepatide necessarily causes greater muscle loss. 6

Access pathways

Start with your GP. Applications for funded dulaglutide or liraglutide can come from any relevant practitioner; specialist referral is not a universal funding requirement. 1

For private weight-management treatment, ask about suitability, the approved indication, supply and follow-up. Specialist input may help with complexity; it is not a guarantee of a particular medicine or higher dose.

For adult weight management, Wegovy and Mounjaro's approved criteria include an initial BMI of at least 30, or at least 27 with a weight-related condition. These are product criteria, not automatic eligibility. 3 5

Ask your prescriber to explain any proposed use outside the product's listed NZ indications. Confirm with the pharmacy whether the supplied presentation matches the NZ-approved product.

Cost considerations

For unfunded Wegovy or Mounjaro, the pharmacy sets the medicine price, not Pharmac. Obtain a current quote rather than relying on a national monthly estimate. 2

Before committing, ask:

  • Which product, strength and quantity does the quote cover?
  • Is that four weeks of treatment or a calendar month?
  • What would the anticipated ongoing prescription cost?
  • Are consultation, repeat-prescription, delivery and follow-up charges separate?

Discuss affordability and a review plan before starting. Ask what happens if supply is interrupted or treatment becomes unaffordable, rather than improvising dose changes.

Coaching is a separate, optional expense. It should not be presented as insurance against medication side effects or a guaranteed return on your spending.

For more access-planning questions, see GLP-1 access in New Zealand.

The role of nutrition coaching

Reduced food intake can make nutritional adequacy harder. Expert guidance recommends dietary assessment, nutrient-dense foods, adequate protein and resistance exercise alongside GLP-1 treatment. 7

Practical priorities include:

  • Include protein foods such as eggs, yoghurt, fish, tofu or beans in meals. 7
  • Keep fruit, vegetables and other nutrient-rich foods in smaller meals, rather than simply eating less of everything. 7
  • Adapt resistance exercise to your ability and recovery. 7
  • Review intake, strength and weight together, with body-composition estimates where useful. 7

These are expert recommendations, not proof that coaching prevents every deficiency, preserves all muscle or stops regain. Maintenance planning matters, but ongoing medication may still be needed. 7

Inception's role is nutrition and habit support, not choosing medicines or adjusting prescriptions. Coaching is available with or without medication.

Read more about muscle preservation during GLP-1 treatment, or explore nutrition coaching if structured support would be useful.

When to contact your prescribing team

Seek urgent medical assessment for severe, persistent abdominal pain, especially with vomiting. Persistent vomiting or inability to keep fluids down also needs prompt attention. 3 5

Discuss pregnancy plans, other medicines and upcoming anaesthesia or sedation before treatment. Mounjaro also has specific oral-contraceptive precautions after starting and increasing the dose. 3 5

Ask your prescriber or pharmacist for a clear safety plan. Nutrition coaching complements that care; it does not replace it.