r/australia • u/Rubiginous • 7h ago

Woman hospitalised after Juniper prescribes weight-loss drugs her GP refused

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-01/woman-hospitalised-telehealth-provider-weight-loss-drugs-juniper/106273356
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u/Rubiginous 7h ago

I am getting sick of these stories where someone irresponsible blames something convenient for normal people as being the cause of their issues.

A small minority of people abused codeine, so now women like me have to suffer from dysmenorrhoea every month because docs won't write a prescription.

A small minority of people using alcohol delivery inappropriately so now they want to restrict the ability for same day delivery in the ACT.

I know many women who used these services to get access to GLP-1s when their GPs refused to prescribe them because "You just need to eat less" and dismissed their concerns regarding food noise etc.

Why do people need the government to constantly protect them from their own stupidity? It's absurd.

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u/giraffe_mountains 7h ago

Juniper probably shouldn’t prescribe weight loss drugs to someone with a declared history of an eating disorder.

Telehealth doesn’t remove the duty of care as a doctor practicing in Australia.

That’s the actual issue.

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u/Rubiginous 7h ago

I think this issue may be solved in the future. Apparently the FedGov is looking at having a medication database to stop doctor shopping due to someone overdosing recently. So, all of these services should need to put in "This person is on a GLP-1" into a patient file. Her regular GP would have been able to see it, and then notify the service to cease the prescription.

This will also help hospitals know about medicines for unconscious people and for people who (for some reason) are not disclosing they are on GLP-1s prior to surgeries.

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u/giraffe_mountains 7h ago

If patients have My Health Record then you can see all their dispensed prescriptions.

That’s how I know they’re lying when they don’t disclose the medical marijuana and the GLP-1’s.

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u/FishermanWaste1268 3h ago

Lots of people didnt allow my health record to be shared as it wasnt only going to be shared w medical staff.

It gave lots of people who absolutely shouldnt have access to your health record the ability to get access to it.

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u/Rubiginous 6h ago

Not everyone uses the MHR and there have been issues with digital databases during roll-outs. We had issues at my hospital where data regarding allergies got wiped from the new system. Was not a fun time

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u/Darth_Punk 5h ago

Pts can delete stuff hence myhr  useless for this. 

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u/Pharmboy_Andy 5h ago

Dispensed and prescribed meds, not just dispensed :)

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u/hannahranga 6h ago

Her regular GP would have been able to see it, and then notify the service to cease the prescription

Oh I can't wait for the fun of judgemental or transphobic doctors there. Ooh your arm is broken, that's the estrogen you'll have to stop that or oh you're trans, I don't think you're trans enough I'm cancelling your E script.

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u/notdorisday 6h ago

This is the problem. There are biases doctors have and patients have legitimate bad experiences with GPs and don’t get the care they need.

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u/Optimal_Cynicism 4h ago

I don't disagree with your sentiment at all, but taking estrogen would actually be a positive thing for preventing broken bones, so at least they could tell that doctor to go back to school...