Prescription weight loss medicines in New Zealand have grown significantly over the past few years. The next generation of prescription weight loss treatments pushed these changes quicker than ever. Established options like Duromine and Xenical have been joined by a growing range of newer medicines including Wegovy and Mounjaro. This guide looks at the prescription weight loss treatments available in NZ in 2026, giving you the key information you need to understand your options.
There are more prescription medicines available in New Zealand to support weight management than ever before. While these medicines are all prescribed to help people lose weight there are important differences between them.
Here is a quick overview of the medicines available in New Zealand to support weight management:
The different types of prescription weight loss medicines work in different ways to support weight loss.
Wegovy, Mounjaro and Saxenda belong to the newest line of weight loss treatments, glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists.
Glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists are medicines which mimic the effects of a hormone called glucagon like peptide-1 or GLP-1, which is released by the body after you eat. Among its effects, GLP-1 sends signals that help you feel full, lower blood sugar and slow digestion.
Mounjaro also is a glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, or GIP receptor agonist. This combined GLP-1/GIP action can reduce appetite and food intake while also affecting how the body regulates blood glucose.
Duromine and Contrave both reduce your appetite, but they work differently.
Duromine contains phentermine, a stimulant medicine that acts on areas of the brain involved in appetite, triggering the release of chemicals and tricking your brain into feeling full.
Contrave on the other-hand combines two medicines, naltrexone and bupropion into a single extended-release pill. Each medicine targets the areas of the brain related to appetite and reward the resulting effect reduces hunger and controls food cravings.
Xenical works differently again, it contains the active ingredient orlistat which targets an enzyme in your gut called lipase that’s responsible for breaking down fat in food. This means about 30% less of the dietary fat from a meal is absorbed, leading to fewer calories being absorbed.
Many people are asking – which prescription weight-loss medicine is the best?
It’s understandable this is one of the most common questions people ask when comparing the growing range of weight loss medicines. However, the answer isn’t simple, because weight loss medicines don’t work the same for everyone.
The best weight loss medicine for you may be the one that helps you reach your goals, with the least (or most tolerable) side effects, and at a cost you can afford.
However generally speaking, there are some insights we can make based on data reported in clinical studies.
GLP-1 receptor agonists (Wegovy, Mounjaro, Saxenda) have produced greater average weight loss in clinical trials than older treatments. Health New Zealand reports that Wegovy produces an average weight loss of about 15% of body weight over 16 months in people without type 2 diabetes. They also report Mounjaro can produce an average weight loss of about 21% of body weight over 17 months in people without type 2 diabetes.
Duromine, Contrave, and Xenical typically lead to less weight loss than GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines. People taking Duromine and Contrave usually see results of around 5-9% weight loss, while people taking Xenical on a reduced-calorie diet will see 3-5% weight loss on average.
The medicine with the greatest average weight loss isn’t automatically the best choice. Your healthcare provider will consider other factors when prescribing, including:
Prescription weight loss medicines will only be considered by a healthcare provider if you meet the criteria. Your body mass index (BMI) and health conditions the primary factors taken into consideration.
Examples of weight related health problems include diabetes, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnoea or reduced mobility.
Your healthcare provider will also consider your wider health, previous approaches to managing your weight, any medicines you take and whether a particular treatment is safe and suitable for you.
The biggest difference between the approved prescription weight loss medicines in New Zealand is how you take them and how frequently.
Injected weight loss medicines include:
Oral weight loss medicines include:
Each medicine has its own advantages, side effects and will be tolerated differently from person to person. The injectable medicines generally produce greater average weight loss than the oral options, but the act of injection can be a barrier to some people. With injected medicines there are also refrigeration and room-temperature storage guidelines which need to be followed to protect their active ingredients.
No, as of October 2026, prescription weight loss medicines are not currently publicly funded or subsidised in New Zealand. This means you will have to pay for them yourself. As an example of cost, in New Zealand, GLP-1 weight loss medicines cost roughly $350 to $900 per month out-of-pocket.
Therefore, cost can be an important consideration, especially since some weight loss medicines are intended to be used for long-term or extended ongoing use.
Pharmac has assessed Wegovy for weight loss and added it to their Options for Investment List. This means Pharmac would fund Wegovy (semaglutide) for weight loss if their budget allowed for it. There is no guarantee if or when this will happen.
All prescription weight loss medicines can cause side effects. The side effects experienced and their severity will depend on the medicine prescribed and can differ between people.
For many weight loss medicines, particularly injected GLP-1 weight loss medicines, gastrointestinal symptoms are particularly common. These can include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, and bloating.
Duromine can cause stimulant-related side effects such as difficulty sleeping, faster heartbeat, dry mouth, nervousness, and restlessness.
Contrave can cause gastrointestinal side effects (see above), headache, dry mouth, tinnitus, itchy skin, trouble sleeping, and dizziness.
Xenical commonly causes gastrointestinal side effects related to its blocking of dietary fat absorption – especially if your diet is too high in fat. This can include fatty/oily stools or gas with oily discharge.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. Some side effects can be serious or even dangerous. Before starting any weight loss medicine, discuss the potential benefits and risks with your healthcare provider.
To get the best results from prescription weight loss medicines you must make healthy lifestyle changes too.
Using a prescription weight loss medicine will reduce your appetite, slow your digestion, and mean you eat less overall, helping you to lose weight.
It’s important to remember that good nutrition and physical activity are still important. A reduced diet can mean you are getting less of the essential nutrients you need to maintain muscle mass and bone density.
It’s important to include protein-rich foods into your meals (ideally every meal) and incorporate muscle-strengthening resistance exercises into your routine at least twice weekly.
This will give you the nutrients and physical activity you need to minimise the loss of your muscle mass and bone density while using weight loss medicines.
Healthy eating habits and physical activity will also keep the weight off once stopping the weight loss medicine. Without sustainable changes, some or all of the weight you have lost may return – a disappointing prospect considering the time and cost involved.
Prescription weight loss medicines are available on prescription if you meet the criteria.
The first step is to talk with a healthcare provider about your weight, health, and goals.
They can assess factors such as your BMI, medical history, existing health conditions and medicines before discussing whether a weight loss medicine may be suitable.
Ozempic (semaglutide) has become one of the best-known names associated with weight loss globally, featuring in news and media. Therefore, it’s one of the first medicines many New Zealanders look for.
Ozempic is not available in New Zealand. However, the active ingredient, semaglutide, is available through a different brand, Wegovy.
Yes, if your doctor prescribes you a weight loss medicine you can tell them to send it to be sent to ZOOM Pharmacy and our team will dispense and deliver it directly to you.
For Wegovy enquiries (prescriptions, pricing, or information), please email our customer service team at help@zoompharmacy.co.nz.
Our service is designed to make managing multiple medicines easy. Our Monthly Medicines Service is free to eligible patients taking three or more regular medicines.
