Diabetes, obesity & metabolismSep 2, 2024

Use and cost of non-insulin diabetes medicines in Australia from 2013 to 2023

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

Utilization of non-insulin glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) in Australia doubled from 6.4 million prescriptions in 2013 to 15.6 million in 2023.

The average annual percent increase in GLD utilization was 8.1%, while the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) increased by 1.8% annually.
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors experienced the highest average annual increase in utilization at 59.4% from 2014 onwards.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) showed an average annual increase of 31.4% in utilization from 2013 to 2023.
Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors utilization tripled with an average annual increase of 10.9%, though this growth plateaued from 2020.
Total costs associated with GLDs increased threefold over the same period, with GLP-1RAs contributing to 35% of the overall costs despite only 11.7% of total prescriptions.

Simplified

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the utilization and costs of non-insulin glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) in Australia from 2013 to 2023.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) administrative dataset of 118 727 494 GLD prescriptions. The main outcome measures were the annual number of GLD prescriptions dispensed, accounting for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence and healthcare system costs, adjusted for inflation.

RESULTS: Utilization of GLDs doubled from 6.4 million prescriptions in 2013 to 15.6 million in 2023. The average annual percent increase in utilization was 8.1%, compared to the average annual increase in prevalence of T2DM of 1.8%. The biggest change was in sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, for which there was an average annual increase in utilization of 59.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 51.7%, 68.2%; p < 0.05) from 2014 (first full year of PBS listing), followed by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), which showed an increase of 31.4% (95% CI 28.5%, 33.8%; p < 0.05) annually (2013 to 2023). Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor utilization tripled, with an average annual increase of 10.9% (95% CI 8.1%, 13.8%; p < 0.05), but this plateaued from 2020. Metformin utilization increased by 4.7% (95% CI 2.0%, 6.9%; p < 0.05) annually. In contrast, sulphonylurea, glitazone and acarbose utilization declined. Total GLD costs increased threefold over the same period. Despite only accounting for 11.7% of utilization, GLP-1RAs contributed to 35% of the costs.

CONCLUSION: Utilization of GLDs doubled, and associated costs tripled over the past 11 years, with no sign of either utilization or costs plateauing, predominantly due to increased GLP-1RA and SGLT2 inhibitor prescribing.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View Full Text ↗

Use and cost of non-insulin diabetes medicines in Australia from 2013 to 2023

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

What Lands in Your Inbox Each Week:

Recent issues from the glp-1 therapies brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

What Lands in Your Inbox Each Week:

Recent issues from the glp-1 therapies brief