Ozempic is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used for Type 2 diabetes (Ozempic) and Chronic weight management (Wegovy).
Mechanism of action
Last Revised — by Dr. Jane Novak, MD, MPH
Class
GLP-1 RA
Active ingredient
Forms
Inj. + oral
Wegovy / Ozempic / Rybelsus
Avg loss
~15%
68 wks at 2.4 mg
Compounded
$99-249
/month telehealth
Supply normal · as of 2026-05-01
This is general drug information, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or switching medication.
FDA supply status
Partial shortageReason: Demand increase for the drug
Limited: 0.25 mg/0.5 mL pen, 0.5 mg/0.5 mL pen
Expected resolution: Q3 2026 (per manufacturer guidance)
Last verified May 15, 2026. Source: FDA Drug Shortage Database.
Why is Ozempic prescribed?
Ozempic is FDA-approved to treat:
- Type 2 diabetes (Ozempic)
- Chronic weight management (Wegovy)
Dosing schedule
FDA-label titration timeline for Ozempic. Doses ramp gradually to limit gastrointestinal side effects; never accelerate the schedule without prescriber input.
Step 1
Weeks 1–4
0.25 mg
Step 2
Weeks 5–8
0.5 mg
Step 3
Weeks 9–12
1.0 mg
Step 4
Weeks 13–16
1.7 mg
Step 5
Week 17+
2.4 mg
Maintenance
Source: FDA prescribing information. Weekly subcutaneous injection. Dose escalation may be delayed if side effects are intolerable. Doses listed here are typical; your prescriber may adjust based on tolerance and response.
Titration schedule
Weekly dose progression
Each escalation holds 4 weeks before the next step up — standard pattern across GLP-1 weight-management labels.
Clinical trial results
Body-weight outcomes from the pivotal trials that anchor FDA approval. Each chart plots the active arm against the placebo or head-to-head comparator, week by week.
STEP-1
Semaglutide 2.4 mg subcutaneous weekly
Percentage change in body weight from baseline to week 68
- Duration
- 68 wk
- Active arm
- n=1,306
- Placebo arm
- n=655
- Final delta
- -14.9%
Key takeaways
- Mean body-weight loss at week 68 was -14.9% on semaglutide vs -2.4% on placebo.
- 86.4% of semaglutide participants achieved ≥5% weight loss; 69.1% achieved ≥10%.
- GI adverse events (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation) were the most common — usually mild-to-moderate and dose-titration related.
SUSTAIN-7
Semaglutide 1.0 mg subcutaneous weekly (vs dulaglutide 1.5 mg)
A1C change from baseline at week 40
- Duration
- 40 wk
- Active arm
- n=301
- Placebo arm
- n=299
- Final delta
- -6.5%
Key takeaways
- Head-to-head with dulaglutide 1.5 mg in T2D: semaglutide-1 produced -6.5% body-weight change vs -3.0% with dulaglutide.
- A1C reduction was -1.8% with semaglutide-1 vs -1.4% with dulaglutide; superiority confirmed.
- Gastrointestinal events were the most common reason for discontinuation in both arms.
Side effects by frequency
Incidence rates for Ozempic from the FDA prescribing information and pivotal trials. Numbers are active arm vs. placebo — the gap tells you how much of an effect is drug-caused vs. background.
- moderateNauseaGastrointestinal
- Active arm
- 44.2%
- Placebo
- 16.1%
Excess vs placebo: +28.1 pp
- moderateDiarrheaGastrointestinal
- Active arm
- 31.5%
- Placebo
- 15.9%
Excess vs placebo: +15.6 pp
- moderateVomitingGastrointestinal
- Active arm
- 24.8%
- Placebo
- 6.6%
Excess vs placebo: +18.2 pp
- mildConstipationGastrointestinal
- Active arm
- 23.4%
- Placebo
- 9.5%
Excess vs placebo: +13.9 pp
- mildAbdominal painGastrointestinal
- Active arm
- 20.2%
- Placebo
- 10.4%
Excess vs placebo: +9.8 pp
- mildHeadacheNervous system
- Active arm
- 14.6%
- Placebo
- 12.0%
Excess vs placebo: +2.6 pp
- mildFatigueGeneral / fatigue
- Active arm
- 11.0%
- Placebo
- 4.7%
Excess vs placebo: +6.3 pp
- severeGallbladder disorderLiver & gallbladder
- Active arm
- 2.6%
- Placebo
- 1.2%
Excess vs placebo: +1.4 pp
- severeAcute pancreatitisGastrointestinal
- Active arm
- 0.2%
- Placebo
- 0.1%
Excess vs placebo: +0.1 pp
"Excess vs placebo" is the percentage-point difference between active treatment and placebo arms. A small excess (e.g., headache at +2.6 pp) suggests the side effect is mostly background noise, not drug-caused. A large excess (e.g., nausea at +28 pp) is a strong drug signal.
Sources
- STEP-1 (Wilding et al., NEJM 2021)
Trial percentages are population averages. Your individual experience may differ. Severity labels reflect typical clinical impact, not how it will feel for any specific patient.
Use & safety
Pregnancy
C — Discontinue at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy due to long half-life.
Breastfeeding
Not recommended while breastfeeding. Animal data shows transfer into milk; human data limited.
Missed dose
If within 5 days of scheduled dose: take as soon as remembered, then continue normal weekly schedule. If more than 5 days late: skip the missed dose and resume the next scheduled dose.
Storage
Refrigerate 36-46°F (2-8°C) before first use. After first use, may be stored at room temperature 59-86°F (15-30°C) for up to 56 days. Protect from light. Do not freeze.
What Ozempic costs in 2026
From $199/mo via telehealth80% off retail
Average retail in the US: $998/month. We compare 4 pricing paths below so you can see exactly where the savings come from.
| Pricing path | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
Retail pharmacy Cash, no insurance, no coupon | $998 |
GoodRx coupon Same pharmacy, public coupon | $997 |
Commercial insurance Typical copay (median) | $25 |
Hims & Hers (compounded) Cheapest editorially-vetted path | $199 80% off retail |
RxNorm Code: 1991302
Conditions it treats
FDA-approved or commonly prescribed off-label for these conditions.
Type 2 diabetes(T2D)
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body either resists insulin or does not produce enough of it to maintain normal blood glucose. GLP-1 receptor agonists are recommended injectable add-on therapy when A1C target is not met on metformin, and lower A1C by 1.0-2.0 percentage points on average.
Learn about Type 2 diabetesObesity
Obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease defined by excess body fat that increases health risk. The medical threshold is BMI ≥30, or ≥27 with a weight-related comorbidity. GLP-1 medications Wegovy and Zepbound are FDA-approved for chronic weight management and produce 14–21% mean weight loss in clinical trials.
Learn about ObesityNAFLD / MASH(NAFLD)
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), now often called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is the most common chronic liver disease in the US. The progressive inflammatory form (MASH, formerly NASH) can lead to cirrhosis. GLP-1 medications show emerging benefit for both weight loss and direct liver effects.
Learn about NAFLD / MASHMore on Ozempic
Reader reviews
Verified user experiences with Ozempic. Reviews are moderated before publishing.
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Sources & further reading
All clinical claims on this page are sourced from the FDA prescribing information and peer-reviewed literature. Verify the most current label before clinical decisions.
Related medications
Other drugs in the same class — GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Side-effect timeline
peaks fade
Typical 16-week titration schedule. Individual experience varies — track yours with the printable tracker.
- 1
Wk 1-2
First injection
- NauseaModerate
- FatigueModerate
- BloatingMild
Peak nausea — eat small protein-forward meals; hydrate.
- 2
Wk 3-4
Body adapting
- NauseaMild
- ConstipationModerate
- RefluxMild
Constipation climbs as GI motility slows. Add fiber + magnesium.
- 3
Wk 5-8
Dose escalation #1
- NauseaModerate
- FatigueMild
- DiarrheaMild
Symptoms re-spike for ~7 days after each escalation.
- 4
Wk 9-12
Settling in
- NauseaMild
- RefluxMild
GI complaints meaningfully fade. Weight loss accelerates.
- 5
Wk 13-16
Maintenance ramp
- Mild fatigueMild
- Hair sheddingMild
Hair shedding from rapid weight loss may appear (resolves by month 6).
- 6
Wk 17+
Maintenance
- Generally well-toleratedNone
Most side effects resolved. Watch for gallbladder symptoms long-term.
Frequencies and timing aggregated from FDA prescribing information (Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro, Ozempic) and the STEP/SURMOUNT trial datasets.
12-month cost tracker
Compounded semaglutide (1 mg/mL, 3 mL vial)
Average US retail pharmacy price, per month. Hand-curated; updated monthly.
Cash price fell 35% over the past year
- Dec 25: FDA shortage list update tightened access; surviving compounders cut prices to retain volume
Prices reflect average list at major US pharmacies (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart). Your actual cost depends on insurance, pharmacy choice, and savings-card eligibility.
Where to get a prescription
Top 3 providers prescribing Ozempic
Ranked by our editorial team. All accept new patients, ship 50-state, and use licensed US prescribers. Pricing reflects starting monthly cost as of 2026-05.
- 2Visit MEDViMEDVi Insurance
Physician-led GLP-1 telehealth with insurance billing support.
- 50K+ patients
- ·
- 3 yrs in business
- ·
- Featured in Healthline, Verywell Health
From $199.00/mo4.30 rating - 3Visit Hims
Telehealth platform with GLP-1 weight loss as part of a broader wellness lineup.
- 2M+ patients
- ·
- 8 yrs in business
- ·
- Featured in WSJ, Bloomberg, TechCrunch
From $79.00/mo4.10 rating
Sponsored partnerships. We earn commission when readers sign up. Editorial ranking is independent — full methodology at /how-we-rank.
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