What is Mounjaro, and what is tirzepatide?
Mounjaro is the brand name of a medicine whose active substance is tirzepatide. Tirzepatide is a long-acting dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist: it acts on two gut-hormone systems involved in appetite, satiety and blood-sugar control. This dual action is what distinguishes tirzepatide from medicines that act on the GLP-1 receptor alone.
Is Mounjaro authorised for weight management?
Yes. According to the EMA, Mounjaro is authorised as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management in adults, and separately for type 2 diabetes. The authorised weight-management indication is set out below.
| Group | Criterion |
|---|---|
| Obesity | BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² |
| Overweight | BMI ≥ 27 to < 30 kg/m² with at least one weight-related condition (e.g. high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia, sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes) |
Meeting the BMI criteria does not by itself guarantee a prescription. The criteria describe who the treatment may be appropriate for; the individual decision is always made by a licensed physician.
Do you need a prescription, and how do you get it in Sweden?
Yes — Mounjaro is prescription-only (receptbelagt) and cannot be bought over the counter. In Sweden you begin with an individual medical assessment by a licensed physician. If a prescription is issued it is stored electronically in the national prescription register, and you collect the medicine from any Swedish pharmacy (apotek) with valid identification. Read how prescription weight-loss medication is accessed in Sweden for the full process.
How is Mounjaro taken?
Mounjaro is given as an injection under the skin — in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm — once a week. Treatment is started at a low dose and adjusted by the prescribing physician; the authorised maintenance doses are 5, 10 and 15 mg once weekly. The dose is an individual medical decision — this page does not provide dosing advice.
How effective is Mounjaro for weight loss?
In SURMOUNT-1 — a 72-week randomised trial in adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, and without diabetes — tirzepatide was combined with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. The average change in body weight at 72 weeks was:
| Group | Average weight change |
|---|---|
| Tirzepatide 5 mg | −15.0% |
| Tirzepatide 10 mg | −19.5% |
| Tirzepatide 15 mg | −20.9% |
| Placebo | −3.1% |
These are group averages from people who also changed their diet and activity, not a promise of an individual result. Individual outcomes vary, and results depend on the dose reached and on continuing treatment and lifestyle changes.
What are the most common side effects?
The most common side effects are gastrointestinal. According to the product information the following are very common (may affect at least 1 in 10 people):
| Very common (≥1 in 10) | Nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, reduced appetite, low blood sugar (mainly with insulin/sulfonylurea) |
| Timing | Gastrointestinal effects are often most noticeable while the dose is being increased and ease over time for many people, but not for everyone |
| Seek care | Severe or persistent abdominal pain, signs of an allergic reaction, or symptoms of pancreatitis or gallbladder problems |
How much does Mounjaro cost in Sweden, and is it reimbursed?
For weight management, Mounjaro is not included in the Swedish high-cost protection (högkostnadsskydd), so you normally pay the full medicine cost yourself. Pharmacies set prices freely, so the monthly cost varies by dose and by pharmacy. The programme fee and the medicine cost are separate.
| Item | Cost | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Programme fee (6-month) | 449 kr/month | Viktbehandling |
| Programme fee (3-month) | 650 kr/month | Viktbehandling |
| Mounjaro medicine | ≈ 1 999–4 839 kr kr/month (varies by dose) | Swedish pharmacy |
Medicine prices checked 2026-07-23; always confirm the current price at the pharmacy. TLV declined to include Wegovy for obesity in February 2026; reimbursement decisions can change — check TLV and 1177 for the current position.
Mounjaro vs. Wegovy — what is the difference?
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) are both once-weekly injections for weight management, but they act differently and performed differently in a head-to-head trial.
| Mounjaro | Wegovy | |
|---|---|---|
| Active substance | Tirzepatide | Semaglutide |
| Mechanism | Dual GIP + GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Administration | Once-weekly injection | Once-weekly injection |
| Head-to-head (SURMOUNT-5, 72 weeks) | −20.2% average weight change | −13.7% average weight change |
In SURMOUNT-5 (a 72-week head-to-head trial in 751 adults with obesity without diabetes), the average weight change was −20.2% with tirzepatide and −13.7% with semaglutide. This is a group-level difference; it does not mean Mounjaro is the right choice for every individual. Which medicine, if any, is suitable is a decision for the physician.