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Mounjaro vs Ozempic: what the two labels actually say

Mounjaro and Ozempic are different drugs used to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. One 40-week trial compared them directly.

Source: Read from both FDA labels and the published SURPASS-2 trial report

What matters first

Label differences
8 of 9 comparison rows differ
Mounjaro
Tirzepatide
Ozempic
Semaglutide
Direct trial
SURPASS-2

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Montecillo, MD · non-practicing medical reviewerReviewed 2026-08-12every number here is sourced

Mounjaro and Ozempic, line by line

9 lines, read off the two labels. Where a label says nothing, the cell says so rather than borrowing from the other one.

Mounjaro and Ozempic compared line by line, from both FDA labels
QuestionMounjaroOzempic
What is in itTirzepatide, which acts on two gut hormone receptors, GIP and GLP-1Semaglutide, which acts on one, GLP-1
Main approved useSame on both labelsBlood sugar control in type 2 diabetesBlood sugar control in type 2 diabetes
Other approved usesNone. The label covers blood sugar and nothing elseLower heart risk in some people with type 2 diabetes, and slow kidney decline in people with chronic kidney disease
Youngest patient coveredAge 10, added in December 2025Adults only
Starting dose2.5 mg once a week0.25 mg once a week
Top dose15 mg a week for adults, 10 mg from age 102 mg a week
How a missed week is handledWithin 4 days the dose can still go inWithin 5 days the dose can still go in
What the label reports for nausea12 to 18 in 100 across 5, 10 and 15 mg, against 4 on placebo15.8 in 100 at 0.5 mg and 20.3 at 1 mg, against 6.1 on placebo
How the dose is drawnSingle-dose pen or vial, or a four-dose vial or KwikPenMulti-dose pens holding four weekly doses, or single-dose syringes

Has anyone tested Mounjaro against Ozempic directly?

One trial has, SURPASS-2. It ran 40 weeks in 1,879 adults with type 2 diabetes.

Adults with type 2 diabetes received one of three tirzepatide doses or semaglutide 1 mg · registry record NCT03987919

  • Average HbA1c fell 2.01, 2.24 and 2.30 percentage points on tirzepatide 5, 10 and 15 mg, against 1.86 on semaglutide 1 mg.
  • All three tirzepatide doses beat semaglutide 1 mg on that measure.
  • Weight fell further on tirzepatide, by 1.9 kg, 3.6 kg and 5.5 kg more than semaglutide at the three doses.
  • Nausea ran 17 to 22 in 100 on tirzepatide and 18 on semaglutide. Diarrhea ran 13 to 16 against 12. Vomiting ran 6 to 10 against 8.
  • Serious problems of any kind reached 5 to 7 in 100 on tirzepatide and 3 on semaglutide.

What the trial cannot tell you

  • The trial used semaglutide 1 mg. Ozempic now goes up to 2 mg, but no similar trial has tested that higher dose against Mounjaro.
  • The trial was registered under the two molecule names, not the two brand names. It says nothing about the other uses on the Ozempic label.
  • Everyone knew which drug they received. That can affect side effects that people report themselves.
  • Eli Lilly, which sells Mounjaro, funded it.
4Comparison detailsLabel interpretation, alternate phrasing, and product handoffs

The trial answers a narrower question than the search does

SURPASS-2 measured blood sugar for 40 weeks. It also tracked weight, but not heart events, kidney decline or longer-term results.

Ozempic has separate evidence for heart and kidney benefits. A larger drop in blood sugar does not prove that Mounjaro has those same benefits.

The gap in approved uses is the bigger practical difference

Ozempic has two approved uses that Mounjaro does not. It can lower heart risk in some people and slow kidney decline in chronic kidney disease.

Mounjaro has one age advantage: its label includes patients from age 10. Ozempic is for adults.

What about “Ozempic vs Mounjaro”?

It is the same comparison with the names reversed, so both searches lead to this answer.

Publishing both orderings would mean two near-identical pages competing with each other for one answer. We publish one page per pair and let both phrasings land on it.

The full label for each

Compare the products here, then open each product’s own dose schedule and side-effect table for the details.

Mounjaro

The Mounjaro dose schedule in fullMounjaro side effects, dose by doseStoring Mounjaro safely

Ozempic

The Ozempic dose schedule in fullOzempic side effects, dose by doseStoring Ozempic safely

Questions readers ask

Does Mounjaro work better than Ozempic?

On blood sugar in SURPASS-2, yes, and that is the only question the trial asked. HbA1c fell 2.01, 2.24 and 2.30 points on tirzepatide 5, 10 and 15 mg, against 1.86 on semaglutide 1 mg.

Weight fell further too, by 1.9 kg, 3.6 kg and 5.5 kg more at the three doses. The comparison dose was 1 mg, and Ozempic’s label now goes to 2 mg, which nobody has tested this way.

What are the long-term side effects of Mounjaro?

SURPASS-2 ran 40 weeks and the label’s own tables average 36.6 weeks. Neither reaches what most people mean by long term.

The trial also measured blood sugar and weight. It did not look at heart events or kidney decline, which are the two places Ozempic’s label has evidence and Mounjaro’s has none.

Is Ozempic or Mounjaro easier to tolerate?

In the one trial that gave both to the same people, they were close on the common symptoms and further apart on the serious ones.

Nausea ran 17 to 22 in every 100 on tirzepatide against 18 on semaglutide, and diarrhea 13 to 16 against 12. Serious problems of any kind reached 5 to 7 in 100 against 3.

What is the poor man's alternative to Ozempic?

There is no cheaper version of the same drug on sale. Compounded semaglutide was legal while FDA listed a shortage, and FDA declared that shortage resolved on 21 February 2025.

What is left is the published price routes: the manufacturer’s own savings offer at $25 a month with commercial coverage, and its cash prices. This site does not name sellers or discount services.

12primary sources, each with the day we read it — open the documents used on this page

Mounjaro and Ozempic are registered trademarks of their manufacturers. This page is not written, reviewed or endorsed by them. It reports what two public FDA labels state, and it is not medical advice. It also does not cover price or insurance coverage, which change too often to publish responsibly here.