GLP-1 for Teens: Evidence, Eligibility, Coverage
Wegovy, Mounjaro, Trulicity, Saxenda and Victoza are FDA approved for teens; the other GLP-1s are not. In STEP TEENS, BMI fell 16.1% on average for people on Wegovy, vs 0.6% on placebo.
- Approved for teens
- 5 of 10 brands
- Best result (STEP TEENS)
- 16.1% drop in BMI
Half-life and weight loss, briefly
Half-life in days means how long your body takes to clear half a dose. This comes from section 12.3 in each FDA label.
Percentage of body weight. Trials, doses and lengths differ, so compare each one with its own placebo on its page.
Is GLP-1 approved for teens?
| Medicine | For teens | How it is taken | Trial result |
|---|---|---|---|
 Wegovy | From age 12, for weight loss | weekly injection or daily tablet | 16.1% drop in BMI |
 Mounjaro | From age 10, for type 2 diabetes | weekly injection | Not listed |
 Trulicity | From age 10, for type 2 diabetes | weekly injection | Not listed |
 Saxenda | From age 12, for weight loss | daily injection | Not listed |
 Victoza | From age 10, for type 2 diabetes | daily injection | Not listed |
 Ozempic | Adults only | weekly injection | Not listed |
 Rybelsus | Adults only | daily tablet | Not listed |
 Zepbound | Adults only | weekly injection | Not listed |
 Foundayo | Adults only | daily tablet | Not listed |
| Byetta | Adults only | twice-daily injection | Not listed |
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), PubMed.
Who qualifies?
| Medicine | Who qualifies |
|---|---|
| Ozempic | Used with diet and exercise, it lowers blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. |
| Ozempic | This medicine lowers the chance of heart attack, stroke, or heart-related death in adults who have type 2 diabetes along with heart disease. |
| Ozempic | This medicine lowers the chance of worsening kidney disease, kidney failure, or heart-related death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. |
| Wegovy | It lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart-related death in adults with heart disease who also have obesity or overweight (injection and tablets). |
| Wegovy | Used with diet and activity, it supports weight loss and helps keep weight off over the long term. That applies to adults and children aged 12 and older with obesity, and to adults who have overweight along with a weight-related condition. |
| Wegovy | In adults, it treats MASH liver disease with scarring that is moderate to advanced and no cirrhosis (injection). |
| Wegovy | In adults, the tablets are approved for weight loss and for heart risk. |
| Rybelsus | Used with diet and exercise, it lowers blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. |
| Rybelsus | This medicine lowers the chance of heart attack, stroke, or heart-related death in adults who have type 2 diabetes and face a high risk. |
| Mounjaro | Adults and children aged 10 and older with type 2 diabetes get lower blood sugar from it, when used with diet and exercise. |
| Mounjaro | This medicine lowers the chance of heart attack, stroke, or heart-related death in adults who have type 2 diabetes and face a high risk. |
| Zepbound | It helps with weight loss and with keeping weight off long term, alongside diet and activity. It is for adults with obesity, or adults with excess weight plus a weight-related condition. |
| Zepbound | For adults with obesity, it treats moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. |
| Foundayo | It helps with weight loss and with keeping weight off long term, alongside diet and activity. It is for adults with obesity, or adults with excess weight plus a weight-related condition. |
| Trulicity | Adults and children aged 10 and older with type 2 diabetes get lower blood sugar from it, when used with diet and exercise. |
| Trulicity | This medicine lowers the chance of heart attack, stroke, or heart-related death in adults who have type 2 diabetes along with heart disease or several heart risk factors. |
| Saxenda | It supports weight loss and helps keep weight off for the long term, with diet and activity. It is for children aged 12 or older (over 60 kg) with obesity, for adults with obesity, and for adults with overweight and a weight-related condition. |
| Victoza | Adults and children aged 10 and older with type 2 diabetes get lower blood sugar from it, when used with diet and exercise. |
| Victoza | This medicine lowers the chance of heart attack, stroke, or heart-related death in adults who have type 2 diabetes along with heart disease. |
| Byetta | Used with diet and exercise, it lowers blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. |
Trial results in teens
| Trial | Medicine | Who took part | Length | People | Main result | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEP TEENS | Wegovy | Teens aged 12 to 17 with obesity | 68 weeks | 201 | 16.1% drop in BMI | 0.6% on placebo |
Sources for this trial: STEP TEENS (PubMed).
How is it different for teens?
| What changes | What the label says | Labels |
|---|---|---|
| Acute Pancreatitis | Can cause inflammation of the pancreas. Severe stomach pain that does not go away: stop taking this medicine and get care. The pain sometimes reaches your back. | All of them |
| Acute Gallbladder Disease | Gallstones and gallbladder inflammation can happen. Report upper right belly pain. Also report fever or yellow skin or eyes. | All of them |
Taken from the FDA labels: FDA label on DailyMed.
Source of warnings: FDA label (DailyMed).
Coverage for teens
- 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
- Is my child's age covered by this medicine's label?
- How will growth and eating be checked?
- What happens if my child wants to stop?