GLP-1s Approved for Weight Loss: Which Drugs, Who Qualifies
Who can get a GLP-1 depends on the label's approved uses and then on your plan's rules, which usually start at a BMI of 30, or 27 with a weight-related condition. In SURMOUNT-1, people on Zepbound lost 20.9% of body weight on average, vs 3.1% on placebo.
- Best result (SURMOUNT-1)
- 20.9% weight loss
Weight loss and half-life overview
Half-life in days: how long your body needs to remove half a dose. Each FDA label gives this figure in section 12.3.
Share of body weight. Trials, doses, and lengths differ, so compare each result with its own placebo on its page.
Does GLP-1 have approval for weight loss?
| Medicine | For eligibility | How it is taken | Trial result |
|---|---|---|---|
 Ozempic | Type 2 diabetes, heart risk, and kidney disease tied to type 2 diabetes | weekly injection | Not listed |
 Wegovy | Weight loss, heart risk and MASH liver disease | weekly injection or daily tablet | 14.9% weight loss |
 Rybelsus | Type 2 diabetes and heart risk | daily tablet | Not listed |
 Mounjaro | Type 2 diabetes and heart risk | weekly injection | Not listed |
 Zepbound | Weight loss and sleep apnea | weekly injection | 20.9% weight loss |
 Foundayo | Weight loss | daily tablet | 11.1% weight loss |
 Trulicity | Type 2 diabetes and heart risk | weekly injection | Not listed |
 Saxenda | Weight loss | daily injection | 7.4% weight loss |
 Victoza | Type 2 diabetes and heart risk | daily injection | Not listed |
| Byetta | Type 2 diabetes | twice-daily injection | Not listed |
Source: FDA label on DailyMed.
Who qualifies?
| Who sets the rule | Who qualifies |
|---|---|
| Ozempic | Blood sugar goes down for adults with type 2 diabetes when this is used with diet and exercise. |
| Ozempic | High-risk adults with type 2 diabetes have less risk of heart attacks, strokes, or heart-related death. |
| Ozempic | For an adult with both type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, this drug lowers the chance of kidney disease getting worse, kidney failure, or death tied to the heart. |
| Wegovy | It reduces the chance of heart attacks, strokes, or heart-related death in adults with heart disease who also have obesity or are overweight (injection and tablets). |
| Wegovy | This medicine is for weight loss and keeping the weight off long term, with diet and activity. It is for adults and children with obesity, ages 12 and older, and for adults with overweight plus a weight-related condition. |
| Wegovy | In adults, this treats MASH liver disease with moderate to advanced scarring (no cirrhosis) (injection). |
| Wegovy | The tablets are approved for adults for weight loss and heart risk. |
| Rybelsus | Blood sugar goes down for adults with type 2 diabetes when this is used with diet and exercise. |
| Rybelsus | High-risk adults with type 2 diabetes face less risk of heart attacks, strokes, or heart-related death. |
| Mounjaro | Adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes get lower blood sugar when they use it with diet and exercise. |
| Mounjaro | High-risk adults with type 2 diabetes face less risk of heart attacks, strokes, or heart-related death. |
| Zepbound | For adults with obesity, and for adults who are overweight with a weight-related condition, it supports weight loss and long-term maintenance when combined with diet and activity. |
| Zepbound | For adults with obesity, it treats moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. |
| Foundayo | For adults with obesity, and for adults who are overweight with a weight-related condition, it supports weight loss and long-term maintenance when combined with diet and activity. |
| Trulicity | Adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes get lower blood sugar when they use it with diet and exercise. |
| Trulicity | High-risk adults with type 2 diabetes have less risk of heart attacks, strokes, or heart-related death or several heart risk factors. |
| Saxenda | With diet and activity, it helps people lose weight and keep the loss off long term. It applies to people 12 and older, either adults or children (weight over 60 kg) with obesity, and to adults who have overweight plus a weight-related condition. |
| Victoza | Adults and children 10 and older with type 2 diabetes get lower blood sugar when they use it with diet and exercise. |
| Victoza | High-risk adults with type 2 diabetes have less risk of heart attacks, strokes, or heart-related death. |
| Byetta | Blood sugar goes down for adults with type 2 diabetes when this is used with diet and exercise. |
| Medicare GLP-1 Bridge | BMI 35 or higher, no condition needed |
| Medicare GLP-1 Bridge | You need a BMI of 30 or above, plus heart failure, uncontrolled blood pressure, or CKD 3a+: |
| Medicare GLP-1 Bridge | Prediabetes, a past heart attack or stroke, or PAD, along with a BMI of 27 or higher |
| Typical commercial plan (Aetna policy) | BMI 30 or higher |
| Typical commercial plan (Aetna policy) | BMI 27 or higher with a weight-related condition |
| Typical commercial plan (Aetna policy) | first comes a diet and activity program of 6 months |
Results from weight loss trials
| Trial | Medicine | Who took part | Length | People | Main result | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEP 1 | Wegovy | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 68 weeks | 1,961 | 14.9% weight loss | 2.4% on placebo |
| OASIS 4 | Wegovy | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 64 weeks | 307 | 13.6% weight loss | 2.4% on placebo |
| SURMOUNT-1 | Zepbound | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 72 weeks | 2,539 | 20.9% weight loss | 3.1% on placebo |
| SURMOUNT-5 | Zepbound | Adults with obesity, without type 2 diabetes | 72 weeks | 751 | 20.2% weight loss | Not listed |
| SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | Saxenda | Adults with obesity or overweight who do not have type 2 diabetes | 56 weeks | 3,731 | 7.4% weight loss | 3% on placebo |
| ATTAIN-1 | Foundayo | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 72 weeks | 3,127 | 11.1% weight loss | 2.1% on placebo |
Trial sources: STEP 1 (FDA label (DailyMed)), SURMOUNT-1 (FDA label (DailyMed)), SURMOUNT-5 (PubMed), SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (FDA label (DailyMed)), ATTAIN-1 (FDA label (DailyMed)).
How does weight loss differ?
| What changes | What the label says | Labels |
|---|---|---|
| Risk of Thyroid C-Cell Tumors | In rodents, it caused thyroid C-cell tumors, but it is not known whether it does so in people. Do not use it if you or a family member has had medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). It is also not for people with MEN 2. | Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Foundayo, Trulicity, Saxenda and Victoza |
Source: the FDA labels. See the FDA label on DailyMed.
Label warnings include these points: DailyMed FDA label.
Coverage for weight loss
Medicare Part D does not cover a GLP-1 that you take only for weight loss.
Wegovy appears on the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge at $50 each month for people who qualify under its rules.
When Medicaid covers weight-loss GLP-1s, prior authorization is standard.
Sources: humana.com, CMS, KFF.
- Ozempic Coupon
- Ozempic Cost
- Ozempic Cost Without Insurance
- Ozempic Cost With Insurance
- Is Ozempic Covered by Insurance? Criteria, Copay, Appeal
- Does Medicare Cover Ozempic? Part D Rules and the GLP-1 Bridge
- Ozempic Patient Assistance
- Cheapest Way to Get Ozempic
- Does Medicaid Cover Ozempic? Criteria, Copay, How to Appeal
Questions to ask your prescriber
- Does the label's rule for this medicine apply to me?
- What will my plan require before it pays?
- Which brand fits my diagnosis?