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Key takeaways
Switching from Zepbound to Mounjaro requires a new prescription from a healthcare provider.
Zepbound and Mounjaro are both FDA-approved tirzepatide injections, but Zepbound is approved for weight loss and sleep apnea, whereas Mounjaro is approved for Type 2 diabetes.
The benefits of switching from Zepbound to Mounjaro may include better insurance coverage and a lower out-of-pocket cost, but this only applies to people with Type 2 diabetes.
Zepbound and Mounjaro are prescription once-weekly injections that lower blood sugar levels and help with weight management. Though they have the same active ingredient, tirzepatide, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved them for different indications. Zepbound is approved to improve obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and weight loss in adults with obesity, whereas Mounjaro is approved for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
Since these drugs are both tirzepatide injections sold under different names, some people may wonder whether it’s possible to switch from Zepbound to Mounjaro for better insurance coverage or other reasons. Here’s what you need to know about the potential benefits of and process for discontinuing Zepbound to start Mounjaro.
Can you switch from Zepbound to Mounjaro?
Switching from Zepbound to Mounjaro is possible, but only if your healthcare provider recommends doing so, and if you have health conditions that mean the medication will be covered by an insurance plan. Both Zepbound and Mounjaro are prescription drugs, so you would need to get a new prescription for the new medication—it’s not something a patient can request at the pharmacy.
“The key factor determining this switch is often whether the patient has a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes,” says Jodie Pepin, Pharm.D., clinical pharmacy program director at Harbor Health in Austin, Texas. If you do have diabetes, and your prescriber supports switching to Mounjaro, it’s essential to follow their instructions for how and when to stop Zepbound and start Mounjaro.
RELATED: Wegovy vs. Mounjaro dosage chart: How to switch medications
What are the benefits of switching from Zepbound to Mounjaro?
The benefits when comparing Zepbound to Mounjaro are limited to insurance coverage and cost. Switching will not lead to greater weight loss potential or better insulin sensitivity. That’s because Zepbound and Mounjaro are the same medication, says Mir Ali, MD, a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. They are both tirzepatide injections sold under different brand names for different purposes.
That said, sometimes switching medications has benefits, even when both drugs are the same ingredient sold under a different brand name. In this case, the benefits of switching are potential insurance coverage and lower out-of-pocket costs for people with Type 2 diabetes.
Insurance coverage
Some health insurance companies are dropping Zepbound from their formularies (lists of covered drugs). Dr. Pepin says if you have Type 2 diabetes but your current medication is Zepbound, switching to Mounjaro may offer better insurance coverage.
Drug coverage varies by policy, but many insurance plans, including Medicare, do not cover weight loss drugs.
“Mounjaro requires the diagnosis of diabetes in order to be covered by insurance,” Dr. Ali says. This also applies to Medicaid and Medicare, which often cover Mounjaro for Type 2 diabetes but not for weight loss treatment, which is an off-label use.
Cost
Zepbound and Mounjaro are expensive medications, but Mounjaro has a slightly lower retail price. The average monthly retail price of Zepbound is $1,512, compared to $1,482 for Mounjaro. Drug prices fluctuate, however, and vary by pharmacy and location. Savings cards and patient assistance programs can help you save.
For cash payers, a SingleCare Prescription Discount Card can reduce the cost of Zepound to $950 per month and Mounjaro to $872, depending on your choice of pharmacy.
Aside from insurance coverage and cost, there are no benefits to switching from Zepbound to Mounjaro. These drugs are the same in the following ways:
- Drug classification: Zepbound and Mounjaro are both prescription injectable forms of tirzepatide, a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist.
- Drug company: Zepbound and Mounjaro are both manufactured by Lilly.
- Dosage: Zepbound and Mounjaro are available in single-dose pens or vials with strengths of 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15 mg per mL.
- Weight loss: Zepbound and Mounjaro may support significant weight loss when combined with lifestyle changes such as nutritious eating and regular physical activity. In a 72-week clinical trial, participants on 15 mg of tirzepatide per week lost an average of 21% of their starting body weight.
- Blood sugar regulation: Clinical trials also showed that tirzepatide could decrease A1C levels (a measure of glycemic control) by 2% after 40 weeks.
Zepbound vs. Mounjaro comparison chart |
||
|---|---|---|
| Zepbound | Mounjaro | |
| Drug classification | GIP and GLP-1 agonist | GIP and GLP-1 agonist |
| Active ingredient | Tirzepatide | Tirzepatide |
| Administration | Subcutaneous injection via single-use injection pen or vial | Subcutaneous injection via single-use injection pen or vial |
| Dosage | 2.5 to 15 mg injected under the skin once weekly | 2.5 to 15 mg injected under the skin once weekly |
| Weight loss effectiveness | Average 21% weight loss in 72 weeks on 15 mg dose | Average 21% weight loss in 72 weeks on 15 mg dose |
| Blood sugar control effectiveness | Average 2% blood sugar decrease in 40 weeks | Average 2% blood sugar decrease in 40 weeks |
| Approved use | – Weight management
– Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults with obesity |
Type 2 diabetes |
| Covered by insurance? | Varies | Typically, for Type 2 diabetes |
| Covered by Medicare Part D? | Not for weight loss, but maybe for OSA | Sometimes |
| Average retail price per month* | $1,512 | $1,482 |
| SingleCare price* | $950 | $872 |
*Average price at the time of publication. Drug prices fluctuate and vary by pharmacy.
How to switch from Zepbound to Mounjaro
“Because Zepbound and Mounjaro contain the same active ingredient, tirzepatide, and are available in the same doses, a patient can safely switch between them without needing to taper or titrate the dose,” Dr. Pepin says. In other words, you could use a Zepbound prefilled injection pen one week, then switch to a Mounjaro pen the next.
That said, following the instructions and dosage schedule set by your prescribing healthcare provider is vital. Dr. Pepin emphasizes that dosage increase schedules are personalized to patients’ health goals—weight loss, blood sugar control, or both. Always follow personalized medical advice, whether switching from Zepbound to Mounjaro or changing to a higher or lower dose of the same medication.
Side effects from stopping Zepbound and starting Mounjaro
There should be no adverse effects from stopping Zepbound and starting Mounjaro because they are the same drug.
These drugs share the same common side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Both can cause injection site reactions (e.g., swelling and redness). Potential serious side effects include hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), inflammation of the gallbladder, and pancreatitis.
How to minimize Mounjaro side effects
Patients can minimize Mounjaro side effects in the same way they’d minimize or manage Zepbound side effects. Dr. Pepin suggests eating smaller, more frequent meals, which may prevent nausea, abdominal discomfort, and vomiting. Staying hydrated can help prevent constipation.
Who should not take Mounjaro?
Zepbound and Mounjaro have the same side effects, drug interactions, warnings, and contraindications. You should not take Mounjaro or Zepbound if you have a medical history of the following:
- Thyroid tumors
- Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC)
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
- Allergic reactions to tirzepatide
Because Moujaro may increase the risk of gallbladder problems and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), it’s important to tell your healthcare provider if you have experienced these health conditions.
- Tirzepatide—friend or foe in diabetic cancer patients, Biomolecules (2022)
- Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity, New England Journal of Medicine
- Efficacy and safety of tirzepatide in adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A perspective for primary care providers, Clinical Diabetes (2022)
- Zepbound® (tirzepatide) injection, for subcutaneous use, Food and Drug Administration (2025)
- Mounjaro™ (tirzepatide) Injection, for subcutaneous use, Food and Drug Administration (2022)