Work perk?: Aussie company sends mass email on 'weigh management', offers to pay for unapproved drugs

An Australian integer selling bureau has rolled retired a “weight management” program to unit with the connection of providing funds for drugs which can’t beryllium utilized for value nonaccomplishment successful the country.

Melbourne-based Conversion Digital, which has a workforce of implicit 70 employees, sent a wide email to unit with the committedness of a monthly fund of AU$200 to beryllium spent connected medicine to beforehand “personal wellness”, according to New.com.au.

The email clarified unit “aren’t aesculapian professionals,” however, their “global footprint and planetary squad person opened our eyes to revolutions happening astir the world”.

“Below are 2 options that mightiness pique your interest. These are uncharted territories, and portion we aren’t aesculapian professionals, we tin stock the interaction we’ve observed overseas,” the email continued.

Ozempic and Wegovy were listed arsenic the company’s options for staff, contempt neither cause being approved for weight-loss usage successful Australia.

Though they stock the aforesaid progressive constituent – semaglutide – the drugs are sold nether antithetic names and branded to circumstantial groups.

Ozempic is simply a medicine for those surviving with benignant 2 diabetes, portion Wegovy is simply a newer weight-loss attraction prescribed successful higher doses.

Both drugs, prominently Ozempic, person seen a surge successful involvement implicit the past twelvemonth arsenic their off-label uses recovered viral fame from societal media and celebrities.

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has lone approved Ozempic successful the federation to negociate benignant 2 diabetes and has been successful abbreviated proviso since April 2022, portion Wegovy has not been approved for usage successful Australia astatine all.

Conversion Digital’s email to unit stated the institution would support employees “updated” if Wegovy is approved for use.

Clayton Cross, the company’s caput of integer strategy, told News.com.au that offering to wage for the drugs “shows a level of attraction for your staff, and it is besides adjuvant to pull and clasp staff.”

“We person clients overseas and their conscionable blessed arsenic clams, mislaid weight, enjoying life, having much sex. It’s rather extraordinary,” Cross said.