Eli Lilly launches home delivery of Mounjaro in Australia — ABC News Australia
US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has launched the LillyDirect online platform in Australia, through which patients can receive Mounjaro with home delivery. The service began with tirzepatide, an injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist used, among other things, to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. As ABC News Australia reports, Australian doctors and pharmacists criticized the new model over potential risks to patient safety.
A patient submits an electronic prescription issued by a doctor to LillyDirect. The prescription is then transferred to a third-party online pharmacist for verification and dispensing, and the medication is delivered to the patient's home. Lilly said the platform is intended to help patients find competitive prices without having to compare offers themselves and does not replace the independent doctor who prescribes the medication.
Warnings from doctors and pharmacists
Michael Wright, president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said GLP-1 medications have serious side effects and require proper oversight and continuity of care. According to him, using online pharmacists could remove one layer of protection for patients, especially if they obtained an electronic prescription through a telemedicine service.
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The Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia called the model clinically weaker because it reduces opportunities for in-person contact between patients and specialists, during which problems can be identified and addressed. Guild President Trent Twomey warned against the “Americanisation of the Australian healthcare system.”
Cost of the medication and the company's position
In April, Eli Lilly said it would not continue the process of listing Mounjaro on Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Among the company's complaints was that the price Australia was willing to pay for the medication was too low. As a result, private patients may pay up to 700 Australian dollars per month for Mounjaro.
The company cannot disclose the price difference for the medication because of competition law requirements. At the same time, social media users who have already used the service reported a price about 50 dollars lower. Eli Lilly stressed that the platform operates within current regulations: Australian doctors issue prescriptions, while registered Australian pharmacists verify them, dispense the medication and can provide patients with advice.
