Ozempic for Type 2 Diabetes: Evidence, Eligibility, Coverage
Yes. Ozempic is FDA approved for type 2 diabetes: for adults with type 2 diabetes, it lowers blood sugar when used with diet and exercise. In STEP 2, people on Wegovy lost 9.6% of body weight on average, vs 3.4% on placebo.
- For type 2 diabetes
- FDA approved
- Active ingredient
- semaglutide
- How it is taken
- weekly injection
- Best result (STEP 2)
- 9.6% weight loss
Ozempic: quick facts
Its half-life is about 1 week. After 7 d, half is gone, and by five half-lives (35 d), only about 3% is left.
In SUSTAIN 1, people with type 2 diabetes lost 4.7 kg over 30 weeks, compared with 1.2 kg in the placebo group.
Monthly prices in US dollars include the list price and self-pay offers, with each figure read from the maker's price page.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), healthsystemtracker.org, prnewswire.com 1 2.
Who qualifies?
| Source | Who qualifies |
|---|---|
| FDA label | For adults with type 2 diabetes, it lowers blood sugar when used with diet and exercise. |
| FDA label | It lowers the chance of a heart attack, stroke or death related to the heart in adults who have type 2 diabetes as well as heart disease. |
| FDA label | For adults with type 2 diabetes and also chronic kidney disease, it lowers the chance that kidney disease worsens, kidney failure occurs, or heart-related death happens. |
Label source: FDA label (DailyMed).
Type 2 diabetes: trial results
There is no Ozempic trial in this group. These trials involve other brands with the same ingredient.
| Trial | Medicine | Who took part | Length | People | Main result | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEP 2 |  Wegovy | Adults with obesity or overweight who also have type 2 diabetes | 68 weeks | 1,210 | 9.6% weight loss | 3.4% on placebo |
Trial sources: STEP 2 (PubMed).
What changes for you if you have type 2 diabetes?
| What changes | What the label says |
|---|---|
| Diabetic Retinopathy Complications | In people with type 2 diabetes, diabetic eye disease can get worse, especially when blood sugar falls fast. Eye checks matter if you already have it. |
| Hypoglycemia When Used With Insulin Secretagogues or Insulin | Taking it with insulin or a sulfonylurea increases the chance of low blood sugar, so those doses may need to be lowered. |
| Taken with insulin or sulfonylureas | Your doctor may lower the doses when you take it with insulin or a sulfonylurea, including glipizide or glimepiride. This combination raises the chance of low blood sugar. |
Taken from the FDA labels: FDA label (DailyMed).
The label warnings appear in the FDA label on DailyMed.
Coverage for type 2 diabetes
Medicare Part D can cover these medicines when they are prescribed for diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
Sources: humana.com.
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Alternatives for type 2 diabetes
| Medicine | For type 2 diabetes | How it is taken | Trial result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozempic | FDA approved | weekly injection | Not listed |
 Rybelsus | FDA approved | daily tablet | Not listed |
 Mounjaro | FDA approved | weekly injection | A1C down 2.3 points |
 Trulicity | FDA approved | weekly injection | A1C down 1.77 points |
 Victoza | FDA approved | daily injection | Not listed |
| Byetta | FDA approved | twice-daily injection | Not listed |
| Wegovy | Not an approved use | weekly injection or daily tablet | 9.6% weight loss |
 Zepbound | Not an approved use | weekly injection | 14.7% weight loss |
 Foundayo | Not an approved use | daily tablet | 9.6% weight loss |
 Saxenda | Not an approved use | daily injection | 7.4% weight loss |
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), PubMed.
Questions to discuss with your prescriber
- Will my other diabetes medicines need to change later, especially insulin or a sulfonylurea?
- How often do I need eye checks?
- Which A1C target should I aim for?
Read all of the Ozempic prescribing information on DailyMed.