Wegovy and Mounjaro for weight loss not funded

Medsafe has approved two new medicines as suitable to support weight management. Pharmac's role is to decide whether medicines will be publicly funded.

Wegovy on Pharmac's options for investment list

Pharmac has assessed the application to fund Wegovy for weight loss and added it to our Options for Investment List. 

The Obesity Treatment Advisory Group considered an application to fund semaglutide (Wegovy) in December 2025.

We used this advice to inform our assessment and understanding of the evidence about semaglutide (Wegovy).

What did the clinical advisory group say?

The Obesity Treatment Advisory Group recommended that Pharmac fund semaglutide (Wegovy) for chronic weight management in people with a high Body Mass Index (BMI) and associated comorbidities with a high priority. 

If Wegovy were funded, the Advisory Group said that funding rules would be needed. Any rules would help make sure the medicine is targeted to those who would benefit the most. If Wegovy were to be funded, Pharmac would use its Special Authority system, which requires a prescriber to apply for funding.

We are seeking clinical advice on applications to fund Wegovy for weight loss when someone also has a heart condition. 

Pharmac has not received an application to fund tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for weight loss. We have received an application for insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes. We are currently assessing the costs and benefits of funding tirzepatide for type 2 diabetes using our Factors for Consideration. 

We use the Factors for Consideration to understand the effect funding (or not funding) a medicine will have more broadly. We especially consider the impact for populations that have worse health outcomes.

We cannot say when, or if, any medicine will be funded.

All applications to fund a medicine go through our standard processes.

Once clinical advice is received, Pharmac compares the benefit of funding any medicine against all the other medicines we are asked to fund.