Debate has erupted over a recent Ozempic prescription for triple murderer Erin Patterson.

The 51-year-old is serving a life sentence for murdering her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, with a beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms in 2023.

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Patterson has now been approved for Ozempic jabs in jail, according to the Herald Sun.

Ozempic, which is approved in Australia for the management of type 2 diabetes and to reduce the risk of kidney and heart problems, is also commonly used off-label as a powerful weight-loss drug.

The Department of Corrections told the Herald Sun the medication has been approved on a clinical needs basis only.

Patterson is locked down in solitary confinement for 22 to 23 hours a day due to her notoriety in prison, with authorities needing to protect her from other inmates.

She is only allowed out of her cell for a short time each day.

Medications not restricted for prisoners

The Department of Corrections says the medication is being provided to ward off health conditions like type 2 diabetes and other complications that can come with rapid weight gain due to her extreme confinement.

Previous reporting has revealed some people inside Victorian correctional facilities, including convicted murderers, have had access to Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs on a clinical needs basis.

Medication is taxpayer-funded for prisoners, prompting debate about the killer’s prescription for the highly in-demand drug.

Ozempic costs Australians accessing the PBS subsidy between $7.70 and $31, but for off-label prescriptions or where PBS criteria is not met, the monthly dosage can cost about $130.

“Accessing medication in Victorian prisons is like receiving medication in a hospital setting,” according to Corrections Victoria.

“This means people in prison do not need to pay for their medications.

“We don’t place any restrictions on what medications can be prescribed to people in prison.”

Debate rages over Ozempic prescriptions for inmates

Victorian Shadow Minister for Police and Corrections Brad Batten said in June that if a prisoner is gaining excessive weight in jail, that it indicates a problem within the system.

“Maybe we should be using prescriptions for more excercise, or a government should be reviewing what they are feeding prisoners here in Victoria,” Batten said.

The debate continued on Sunrise on Tuesday.

“Diabetes costs the healthcare system a lot of money, but who is going to get behind someone who is convicted of three murders and an (attempted) murder?” commentator Cath Webber said on Sunrise on Tuesday.

“I think its a joke that taxpayers are picking up the bill for it.”

“The reality is that this is a drug that has had shortages in recent times, on and off, and also a drug that some Australians have tried to get access to and can’t for various medical reasons,” commentator James Willis also said on Sunrise.

“I don’t think it passes the pub test.”