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New presentation of Ozempic (semaglutide) 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pens
The pharmaceutical company that supplies Ozempic, Novo Nordisk, has advised us that a new 3 mL presentation of Ozempic (semaglutide) 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen is now available, as of June 2025. This will gradually replace the 1.5 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen, which will be discontinued as of 1 December 2025.
Both pre-filled pens presentations deliver the same semaglutide dosage(s) (either 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg per dose). However, the new 3 mL presentation is a larger pen and injects a slightly larger volume per dose. Both presentations are considered interchangeable to deliver either 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg of semaglutide per dose. Both products also have the same approved indications, use the same administration and dosing instructions, and contain the same number of doses per pen.
See the Ozempic Product Information (PI) for more information.
Please note that the introduction of the new 3 mL presentation will not affect the shortage status of Ozempic products, which will all continue to have limited availability throughout 2025. For more information, go to About the Ozempic (semaglutide) shortage.
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) information
The new 3 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen was listed from 1 June 2025, with the 1.5 mL presentation remaining available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) as a Supply Only listing until 1 December 2025, when it will be removed. This means that Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg as a 1.5 mL presentation remains available for dispensing but not for prescribing.
To minimise the impact of this transition on patients and healthcare professionals, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has asked the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) whether it is appropriate to ‘a-flag’ the 2 presentations – making it possible for them to be interchangeable on the PBS. The PBAC has supported this.
The Department is working to a-flag the 2 presentations as soon as possible and expects this to be in place on 1 July 2025. However, until this is implemented, the 2 presentations will not be interchangeable on the PBS.
Until then, PBS prescriptions for the 1.5 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen cannot be used to access subsidised supply of the 3 mL presentation under the PBS (and vice versa). If pharmacists have stock of the 1.5 mL presentation, they can continue to use prescriptions for the 1.5 mL presentation that were written before 1 June 2025.
Information for patients
Check that your regular pharmacy can supply the Ozempic product you need ahead of your next dose.
During the transition from 1.5 mL to 3 mL Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg presentations, there will be limited quantities of the 1.5 mL presentation until it runs out. After that, only the 3 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen will be available, as the 1.5 mL product has been discontinued.
If you have a PBS prescription for the 1.5 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen, check that your pharmacy has this product in stock. If your pharmacist only has the new 3 mL presentation, you will need a new PBS prescription for it from your doctor until the 2 presentations are ‘a-flagged’ on the PBS. A-flagging means your pharmacist will be able to use your existing prescription to supply either the 1.5 mL or 3 mL presentations.
Once the a-flagging on the PBS is implemented, existing prescriptions for the 1.5 mL presentation written before 1 June 2025 can be used for the 3 mL presentation.
If you have a private (non-PBS) prescription, you can use it to get either the 1.5 mL or 3 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen from your pharmacist without a new prescription.
The new 3 mL pre-filled pen presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg looks slightly different to the 1.5 mL presentation because it contains a different concentration of the active ingredient (semaglutide) in a larger volume. However, when you administer your dose, you will still receive the same amount of semaglutide as before.
Both products have the same administration and dosing instructions, and they contain the same number of doses per pen.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about these changes.
If you are unable to fill your prescription, speak to your doctor about other options for your situation.
Information for pharmacists
The new 3 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen is available as of June 2025 and is PBS subsidised (criteria dependent).
The 1.5 mL presentation is Supply Only as of June 2025 until it is delisted from the PBS in December 2025. This means only prescriptions written before 1 June 2025 for the 1.5 mL presentation will be eligible for PBS supply during the Supply Only period.
Please note that while the 1.5 mL and 3 mL presentations of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen are interchangeable from a bioequivalence point of view, the presentations are not currently a-flagged on the PBS and therefore cannot be substituted for each other for PBS purposes. The Department is working to a-flag the 2 presentations on the PBS as soon as possible. Once a-flagged, prescriptions for the 1.5 mL presentation written before 1 June 2025 can be used to supply the 3 mL presentation, where appropriate.
Until then, if a patient presents a PBS prescription for the 1.5 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg and you only have access to the new 3 mL presentation, they will need a new PBS prescription for the 3mL presentation from their prescriber. Alternatively, if the patient consents and agrees to any additional cost, you can provide non-PBS supply of the new 3 mL presentation.
Patients with a private (non-PBS) prescription for Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen who are using it for approved indication(s) may be supplied either the 1.5 mL or 3 mL presentation.
Please inform your patients that the new 3 mL pre-filled pen presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg looks slightly different to the 1.5 mL product they previously received, but it:
- delivers the same dose of active ingredient
- contains the same number of doses
- has the same instructions for administration and dosing.
To support the patient in administering these medicines, you can use the Consumer Medicines Information (CMI) leaflet.
Please note that the Ozempic 1 mg presentation is also supplied in a 3 mL pre-filled pen. You must therefore be careful when dispensing 3 mL pre-filled pen presentations of Ozempic to ensure your patient is receiving the correct prescribed strength.
Moving forward, there may be patients who have previously received the 3 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg who then transition to the 3 mL pre-filled pen presentation of Ozempic 1 mg (the higher dose). Please ensure these patients are aware of this change, and if they still have access to both dose presentations, advise them to carefully check the dose on the pre-filled pen before administering it.
Information for prescribers
Please be aware that the 1.5 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen is Supply Only on the PBS as of 1 June 2025 and will be discontinued on 1 December 2025. As such, you will now only be able to write PBS prescriptions for the 3 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen. Existing PBS prescriptions written before 1 June 2025 of the 1.5 mL presentation can be dispensed under the PBS during the Supply Only period.
Please note that while the 1.5 mL and 3 mL presentations of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen are interchangeable from a bioequivalence point of view, the presentations are not currently a-flagged on the PBS and therefore cannot be substituted for each other for PBS purposes. The Department is working to a-flag the two presentations as soon as possible. A-flagging will mean pharmacists can use existing PBS prescriptions for the 1.5 mL form to supply the 3 mL form.
In the meantime, if your patient has an existing PBS prescription for the 1.5 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg but can only access the new 3 mL presentation, they will need a new prescription for the new 3 mL presentation to be PBS subsidised, until the 2 presentations are a-flagged on the PBS.
Patients with private (non-PBS) prescriptions may get the 1.5 mL or 3 mL presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen depending on availability without the need for a new prescription.
Please inform your patients that the new 3 mL pre-filled pen presentation of Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg looks slightly different to the 1.5 mL product they previously received but it:
- delivers the same dose of active ingredient
- contains the same number of doses
- has the same instructions for administration and dosing.
Patients will be advised to contact you if their medicine is not available from their pharmacy or if they need a new PBS prescription for the 3 mL presentation of the Ozempic 0.25 mg/0.5 mg pre-filled pen.