Contrave in Australia: 2026 Guide

Contrave is the oral weight loss medication built for cravings rather than hunger. It combines two long-established medicines — naltrexone and bupropion — to act on the brain's reward and appetite pathways, and it's TGA-registered for weight management in Australia. Expect to pay roughly $230–$260 a month at the full dose as a private prescription. Here's how it works, who it suits, and how it compares with the alternatives.

The short answer at a glance

• What is it? A combination tablet — naltrexone 8mg + bupropion 90mg — taken as tablets that step up to twice daily over four weeks.
• How it's different: it targets food cravings and reward-driven eating, not just hunger.
• Cost: roughly $230–$260 for a month at the full dose, varying by pharmacy. Not PBS-subsidised.
• Typical results: around 5–8% body-weight loss in trials over a year, combined with diet and activity.
• Prescription: required — available via bulk billed telehealth assessment.

How Contrave works

Naltrexone is an opioid-receptor blocker; bupropion acts on dopamine and noradrenaline. Together they dampen the reward response to food and reduce appetite — which is why Contrave tends to be discussed for people whose eating pattern is driven by cravings, emotional eating or the "just one more" loop rather than straightforward hunger. It's a genuinely different mechanism from both the stimulant appetite suppressants like Duromine and the hormone-based injectables.

Dosing starts at one tablet daily and steps up weekly to two tablets twice daily by week four — the gradual build-up reduces nausea, the most common early side effect.

What Contrave costs in Australia

A full-dose month (one 112-tablet pack) typically lands around $230–$260 depending on the pharmacy, with lower costs during the titration weeks when you're taking fewer tablets. Like every weight loss medication in Australia, it's not PBS-subsidised — and as always, the GP care around it can be bulk billed for eligible Medicare card holders.

Who Contrave suits — and who it doesn't

It can be a good fit for patients who can't take stimulants, who describe cravings rather than constant hunger, or who prefer tablets over injections at a mid-range price point. It is not suitable for people with a seizure disorder, current or past eating disorders (anorexia or bulimia), anyone using opioid medications, in uncontrolled hypertension, severe liver disease, or during pregnancy — and it shouldn't be combined with MAOIs. Common side effects include nausea, constipation, headache, insomnia and dizziness, mostly front-loaded in the first weeks.

Contrave vs the alternatives

Against phentermine: Contrave is non-stimulant, better suited to long-term use, and targets cravings — but costs more. Against the injectable class: the injectables produce roughly double the average weight loss (~15–21% vs ~5–8%) at a higher price and with injection dosing. The full landscape — every medication, cost and mechanism side by side — is in our complete Australian comparison guide.

Frequently Asked Questions — Contrave in Australia

Is Contrave available in Australia?

Yes — it's TGA-registered and stocked by Australian pharmacies. It requires a prescription from an Australian-registered doctor.

How much weight do you lose on Contrave?

Clinical trials show around 5–8% average body-weight loss over a year when combined with lifestyle change. Individual results vary meaningfully — response by 12–16 weeks is a good indicator, and your GP will review whether it's working for you.

Is Contrave a stimulant like Duromine?

No. Neither component is a classic stimulant, which is why it's often considered for patients with cardiovascular or anxiety reasons to avoid phentermine — though it has its own contraindication list your GP will screen for.

Is Contrave on the PBS?

No — it's a private prescription, like every weight loss medication in Australia as at mid-2026.

Can I get Contrave via telehealth?

Yes. Assessment, prescribing where clinically appropriate, and follow-up can all happen via telehealth. Request a bulk billed consultation to talk it through with a GP.

This article is general information, not personal medical advice. Prescription decisions always rest with your doctor after an individual assessment. Pricing current as at mid-2026.