Victorian premier defends taxpayer-funded Ozempic for convicted mushroom killer

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll defended the use of state-funded Ozempic for Erin Patterson, a convicted mushroom murderer serving three life sentences, stating the prescription followed medical advice. The 51-year-old inmate, who is awaiting a possible retrial, received the drug at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in Melbourne’s west. The policy allowing weight-loss drugs in prisons was introduced after a coronial investigation into the 2021 death of Indigenous prisoner Michael Suckling, whose obesity contributed to a fatal heart condition.

Opposition police spokesman Brad Battin demanded public disclosure of the reasons behind Patterson’s treatment, raising concerns that some prisoners might be using the medication for non-medical purposes. A Department of Justice and Community Safety spokesperson clarified that such drugs are only provided when there is a clear medical indication, such as preventing type-2 diabetes. Ozempic is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and costs about $25 a month under the scheme. Patterson’s case has drawn attention because of the notoriety of her crimes, which involved poisoning her former in-laws and an attempted murder in July 2023.