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WeightLossDrugsGuide

Independent educational reference. Not a pharmacy, medical provider, or telehealth clinic — and not a substitute for medical advice.

Every claim cited to a primary source

Understand Weight-Loss Medications

Independent guides to GLP-1 medications, costs, comparisons, safety information and access.

Every medical statement here is drawn from FDA prescribing information, FDA safety communications, or other primary sources, and linked where you can check it yourself. We don’t sell medication, and we don’t tell you what to take.

Browse the medication directoryCompare medications
CELL MEMBRANEGLP-1 receptormedication bindsGLP-1 receptor agonistAPPETITEsignalling in brainSTOMACHslowed emptyingSimplified schematic. See each medication's prescribing information.

Directory at a glance

10
Approved for weight management
2
Approved for a different indication
2
Investigational — not FDA approved

Compare medications

All comparisons

Side-by-side on the facts that are actually verifiable: active ingredient, drug class, what the FDA approved each product to treat, how it is given, and what the labels say about safety.

Wegovy vs. ZepboundWegovy and Zepbound are both FDA approved for chronic weight management and both are once-weekly injections — but they contain different active ingredients from different manufacturers, and Zepbound carries an additional FDA-approved indication for obstructive sleep apnea..Ozempic vs. WegovyOzempic and Wegovy contain the same active ingredient — semaglutide — from the same manufacturer, Novo Nordisk.Mounjaro vs. ZepboundMounjaro and Zepbound both contain tirzepatide and are both made by Eli Lilly.Semaglutide vs. TirzepatideSemaglutide and tirzepatide are the two active ingredients behind most of today’s prescription weight-management injections.

Medication directory

All 14 entries

Ingredient-level and brand-level records, each with FDA status, labeled safety information, and a link to the official prescribing information.

WegovysemaglutideGLP-1 receptor agonistFDA ApprovedOnce weeklyZepboundtirzepatideDual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonistFDA ApprovedOnce weeklySaxendaliraglutideGLP-1 receptor agonistFDA ApprovedOnce dailySemaglutideGLP-1 receptor agonistFDA ApprovedOnce weekly (injectable); once daily (oral)TirzepatideDual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonistFDA ApprovedOnce weeklyPhentermineSympathomimetic amine (appetite suppressant)FDA ApprovedTypically once daily (see labeling; Lomaira is dosed differently)

GLP-1 guides

All guides
What Are GLP-1 Medications?A plain-language explanation of GLP-1 receptor agonists: what they are, which are FDA approved for weight management, and how the drug classes differ.Understanding Compounded GLP-1 MedicationsWhat compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide actually are, how they differ from FDA-approved products, and what the FDA has said about them.

Cost & insurance

Prices and program terms change constantly, so we explain how costs and coverage actually work and point you at the authoritative source, rather than publishing a number that is wrong by the time you read it.

What weight-loss medication costsWhat determines your price, why list price is rarely what anyone pays, and how to get a real number for your situation.Insurance coverageWhy coverage is indication-specific, how prior authorization works, and the rules for Medicare and Medicaid.Savings programsManufacturer savings cards, self-pay channels, and patient assistance programs — and who qualifies.

Latest FDA updates

How we track this

We publish an FDA update only after a human confirms it against a primary FDA source. Our FDA updates page lists approval status for every product with the source and verification date, plus a timeline of approvals. Drug records were last source-verified August 12, 2026.

Popular comparisons

Understanding compounded medications

Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are not FDA-approved drugs and are not generics. The FDA has not reviewed them for safety, effectiveness, or quality, and has issued warnings about dosing errors and products containing salt forms that differ from the approved ingredients.

Read the full explainer

Editorial standards

Editorial policyHow we research, what we refuse to publish, and how independence from advertisers is maintained.Medical review policyWhat 'medically reviewed' would mean here — and why our pages currently say 'editorially reviewed' instead.Our sourcesThe primary sources we cite, and the ones we deliberately do not.CorrectionsHow to report an error and how we log fixes.

FDA updates, in plain language

An occasional email when approvals, labeling, or coverage rules change for weight-management medications. No medical advice, no product pitches.

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Not medical advice. WeightLossDrugsGuide is an independent educational publisher. We are not a pharmacy, a medical provider, or a telehealth clinic, and we do not provide personalized medical recommendations or dosing guidance. Information here summarizes official FDA labeling and other primary sources and may not reflect the most recent changes. Always talk with a licensed clinician about your own situation, and read the full prescribing information for any medication.