Ozempic vs Phentermine: Weight Loss, Side Effects, Price
Ozempic is a GLP-1 medicine (weekly injection); phentermine is an older appetite-suppressant pill, not a GLP-1. Ozempic is FDA approved for type 2 diabetes and heart risk, and kidney disease if you have type 2 diabetes.
Ozempic in brief
Its half-life is about 1 week. Half clears after 7 d, and about 3% remains after five half-lives (35 d).
Type 2 diabetes, SUSTAIN 1, 30 weeks: weight loss of 4.7 kg, compared with 1.2 kg on placebo.
Every monthly price is in US dollars and comes from the maker's price page: the list price and the self-pay offers.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), healthsystemtracker.org, prnewswire.com 1 2.
Ozempic and Phentermine, side by side
| Ozempic | Phentermine | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Ozempic | Phentermine |
| Active ingredient | semaglutide | Not listed |
| Manufacturer | Novo Nordisk | Not listed |
| How it is taken | Weekly injection | Not listed |
| Approved for | Type 2 diabetes and heart risk, and kidney disease if you have type 2 diabetes | Not listed |
| First FDA approval | 2017 | Not listed |
| Most common side effect | Nausea 20.3% vs 6.1% on placebo | Not listed |
| List price | $1,027.51 per pen | Not listed |
| Self-pay from | $199 per month | Not listed |
| FDA shortage | Resolved February 21, 2025 | Not listed |
| What it is | Not listed | An older appetite-suppressant pill, not a GLP-1 |
Sources: FDA label, FDA label (DailyMed), Novo Nordisk pricing, TrumpRx.
Prices and coverage, side by side
| Medicine | How you pay | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ozempic | List price before insurance | $1,027.51 per pen |
| Ozempic | Ozempic Savings Offer (insured) | for up to 3 months, starting at $25 a month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay: Ozempic pill (from 1.5 mg) | $149 per month |
| Ozempic | With self-pay, the first 2 fills under the Ozempic pen introduction are covered, and the doses are 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg | $199 per month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay: the Ozempic pen comes in 1 mg, 0.5 mg, and 0.25 mg doses | $349 per month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay: Ozempic pen 2 mg | $499 per month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay via TrumpRx | $199 per month |
Checked in November 2026, the prices come from Novo Nordisk pricing, NovoCare, TrumpRx.