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Switching between Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro: what do the Australian labels say?

What the Australian labels say about starting, overlap and the time each medicine stays in the body, plus the PBS and script changes.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished 14 Oct 20267 min read16 sourcesWritten from published sources
What we checked16 sources, each one opened and linked to the sentence it supportsLast checked 14 Oct 2026 · Next review due 14 Oct 2027 · How we write

Written for Australia. Other country versions are coming.

The short answer

No Australian label or guideline sets out how to switch between Ozempic or Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide), and we found no official dose-conversion chart. The Wegovy label says not to use it with another GLP-1 medicine. Each label has its own starting dose and step-up schedule.

Key takeaways

  • The Australian Product Information for Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic describes starting each medicine, but none describes moving from another GLP-1 medicine.1,2,3
  • The Australian Wegovy label says semaglutide should not be combined with other GLP-1 medicines, because a higher risk of overdose side effects is considered likely.2
  • Semaglutide stays in the blood for about 5 weeks after the last Ozempic dose and about 7 weeks after the last Wegovy dose, the Australian labels say.3,2
  • Mounjaro and Wegovy are not on the PBS, so moving from PBS-subsidised Ozempic to either one means a private script with no subsidy.8,9
  • The Mounjaro label advises a non-oral contraceptive or an added barrier method for 4 weeks after starting and after each dose rise.1
On this page
  1. Is there an official guide to switching in Australia?
  2. Are Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro the same medicine?
  3. Why do people in Australia change GLP-1 medicine?
  4. What do the labels say about starting the new medicine?
  5. Can two GLP-1 medicines overlap?
  6. What changes with the PBS and your script?
  7. What should you watch for after a change?
  8. Questions people ask
  9. How we researched this

Is there an official guide to switching in Australia?

We found no official Australian guide to switching. The Australian labels for Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic explain how to start and step up each medicine, but none covers moving from another GLP‑1.1,2,3

Before you go further
  • Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro are prescription-only medicines in Australia. A doctor or other authorised prescriber decides whether to change your medicine, and how.
  • Label facts here come from the Australian Product Information (PI), the official document each maker publishes for prescribers.
  • We don't publish dose-conversion charts. No Australian label or guideline we found gives one, so any chart would be our guess.
  • We don't publish medicine prices for Australia, or name where to get a medicine. The TGA treats price lists for prescription medicines as advertising unless strict rules are met.15
  • Every risk of these medicines is in Guide 5: Side effects and risks.

We also searched for guidance from Australian diabetes and GP bodies and found none on switching. So the plan for a change comes from your prescriber's judgement rather than a published Australian rule.

Are Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro the same medicine?

No. Ozempic and Wegovy are both semaglutide, from Novo Nordisk. Mounjaro is tirzepatide, from Eli Lilly, a different medicine that acts on two gut-hormone receptors.3,2,1

The medicine is what works in your body; the brand is the name on the box. Paracetamol is a medicine, and Panadol is one brand of it. In the same way:

  • Semaglutide copies a gut hormone called GLP‑1, which helps you feel full and slows how fast the stomach empties.2 Ozempic is approved here for type 2 diabetes, with a kidney-disease use in type 2 diabetes. Weight loss is not on its label.3 Wegovy is approved for weight management and some other uses.2
  • Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) acts on GLP‑1 receptors and on receptors for a second gut hormone, GIP.1 It is approved for type 2 diabetes, weight management and sleep apnoea with obesity.1
  • Liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza) and dulaglutide (Trulicity) are other GLP‑1 medicines with their own labels.4,5

Why do people in Australia change GLP-1 medicine?

Side effects, a weak response, supply problems and a medicine leaving the market can each lead to a change. A 2025 US advisory links stopping treatment to stomach side effects and a poor weight response.11

  • Side effects or response: the advisory says stopping is linked with older age, a poor weight response and moderate or severe stomach side effects. It says the part played by cost and medicine shortages is unclear.11
  • A medicine leaving: Saxenda (liraglutide) stopped being sold in Australia after December 2025. GPs were told to discuss other options with people using it.10 See Saxenda discontinued.
  • Supply: Ozempic was short in Australia from 2022 to 2025. Our post on the Ozempic shortage tells that story.
  • Approved uses: each brand has its own approved uses, set out in its Australian label.3,2,1

What do the labels say about starting the new medicine?

Each label starts at its lowest dose and steps up every 4 weeks or more. None gives a different start for people coming from another GLP‑1 medicine.1,2,3

Each label sets its own schedule. Read each one on its own: a dose of one medicine does not match a dose of another.

  • Mounjaro (tirzepatide): 2.5 mg weekly for 4 weeks, then 5 mg. After that, the dose can rise in 2.5 mg steps at least 4 weeks apart if needed, up to 15 mg.1
  • Wegovy (semaglutide, weight management): 0.25 mg weekly for 4 weeks, then 0.5, 1 and 1.7 mg for 4 weeks each, reaching 2.4 mg at week 17.2
  • Ozempic (semaglutide, type 2 diabetes): 0.25 mg weekly for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg. It can rise to 1 mg and then 2 mg, each after at least 4 weeks.3

Starting schedules from each Australian PI, checked 14 Oct 2026.

  • Why the slow start: the Wegovy label says the 16-week step-up is there to reduce the chance of stomach symptoms.2
  • Starting doses aren't maintenance doses: the Mounjaro label says 2.5 mg is not a maintenance dose, and the Ozempic label says the same of 0.25 mg.1,3
  • Restarting after a break: the Wegovy label says that if more doses are missed, a lower starting dose should be considered when restarting.2
  • Taking longer: in the trials, people could stay on one dose for up to 8 weeks to let stomach side effects settle, the 2025 advisory says.11
Free toolQuestions before a change of medicine

Builds a printable sheet of questions for your GP or specialist. Free.

Open the question list

Can two GLP-1 medicines overlap?

The labels rule out taking two at once. The Wegovy label says semaglutide should not be combined with other GLP‑1 medicines, because a higher risk of overdose side effects is considered likely.2

The Saxenda label says the same for liraglutide.4 Weekly medicines also stay in the body for weeks after the last dose:

  • Ozempic: semaglutide is present for about 5 weeks after the last dose.3
  • Wegovy: about 7 weeks after the last 2.4 mg or 7.2 mg dose.2
  • Mounjaro: tirzepatide's half-life (the time for the level in the blood to halve) is about 5 days.1
  • Trulicity: dulaglutide's half-life is 4.7 days.5

We found no Australian guidance on how long to leave between the last dose of one and the first dose of another. That timing is for your prescriber to set.

What changes with the PBS and your script?

Only Ozempic and Trulicity are PBS-subsidised GLP‑1 medicines, and only for type 2 diabetes. Moving from either to Mounjaro or Wegovy means a private script.16,8,9

  • Mounjaro: Lilly has advised that it is not proceeding with a PBS listing for type 2 diabetes.8 See Mounjaro and the PBS.
  • Wegovy: recommended in November 2025 for people with heart disease and obesity, but not listed. The PBS status page says listing "has not yet occurred".9 See Wegovy and the PBS.
  • Between Ozempic and Trulicity: the PBS lists Ozempic under a "first PBS-prescription for this drug" phase, which needs an authority, and a "subsequent PBS-prescriptions for any GLP‑1 receptor agonist" phase.6,7 Which phase applies to a change is for the prescriber to check. Ozempic PBS criteria explains the rules.

What should you watch for after a change?

The labels point to three things after a change: stomach side effects, low blood sugar if you have diabetes, and contraception. Stomach effects are most often reported while a dose is going up, the Wegovy label says.2

  • The pill: the Mounjaro label advises a non-oral contraceptive, or an added barrier method, for 4 weeks after starting and 4 weeks after each dose rise.1
  • Diabetes medicines: with insulin or a sulfonylurea, the labels say a lower dose of those may be considered, to cut the risk of low blood sugar.1,2
  • Pregnancy plans: the labels say to stop Mounjaro at least 1 month, and Wegovy at least 2 months, before a planned pregnancy.1,2
  • Past allergy: the Saxenda label says not to use it after facial or throat swelling (angioedema) with another GLP‑1 medicine.4 Tell your prescriber about any reaction you have had.
RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Stomach effects are very common. In the Mounjaro weight trials, nausea affected 24.6 to 29.0 in 100 people on 5 mg to 15 mg, against 8.5 in 100 on a dummy injection.1
  • On Wegovy, nausea affected 43.9 in 100 over 68 weeks, against 16.1 in 100 on a dummy injection.2
  • Gallstones and a swollen pancreas (acute pancreatitis) are both listed as uncommon (1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000) on the Australian Mounjaro label.1
  • On Wegovy, confirmed pancreatitis affected 2 in 1,000 in the main trials, against under 1 in 1,000 on a dummy injection.2
  • Pregnancy. The Mounjaro label says tirzepatide should not be used during pregnancy.1
Full detail in Guide 5: Side effects and risks →
Get help now: call triple zero (000) if an illness is critical or life-threatening.12 For advice when you are not sure what to do, call the healthdirect nurse helpline free on 1800 022 222, 24 hours a day.12 If you think you have taken too much of a medicine, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 at any time.13 You can report a side effect to the TGA online, or ask your GP or pharmacist to report it.14

Questions people ask

Is there a dose conversion chart from Ozempic to Mounjaro?

No Australian label or guideline we found gives one. Each label has its own starting dose and step-up schedule.1,3

How long should I wait between Wegovy and Mounjaro?

The Australian labels don't say. Semaglutide stays in the blood for about 7 weeks after the last Wegovy dose, so your prescriber sets the timing.2

Do I go back to the lowest dose when I switch?

Each label's schedule starts at its lowest dose, and none gives a different start for people switching. Your prescriber decides.1,2,3

Can I switch from Saxenda to Wegovy or Mounjaro?

Saxenda stopped being sold in Australia after December 2025, and GPs were asked to discuss other options. Its label says not to combine it with another GLP-1 medicine.10,4

Is Mounjaro the same as Ozempic?

No. Ozempic is semaglutide, from Novo Nordisk. Mounjaro is tirzepatide, from Eli Lilly, and also acts on the GIP receptor.3,1

How we researched this

On 14 Oct 2026 we read the dosing, interaction, pregnancy and pharmacology sections of the Australian Mounjaro, Wegovy, Ozempic, Saxenda and Trulicity PIs, two PBS item pages, two PBS medicine status pages and newsGP's report on Saxenda. We checked Google's Australian search suggestions for "switching from wegovy to mounjaro" and "switching from ozempic to mounjaro".

We searched for Australian switching guidance from the Australian Diabetes Society and the RACGP and found none. We left out dose-conversion charts and head-to-head results on purpose: neither is in an Australian label as a switching rule.

Before you move on

  • No Australian label gives a switching plan or a dose chart.
  • Two GLP-1 medicines should not be taken together.
  • Weekly medicines stay in the body for weeks after the last dose.
  • Moving off PBS Ozempic to Mounjaro or Wegovy means a private script.
Side effects and risksI'm already on itDoctor questions tool

More from the Australia blog

AUAustraliaSaxenda has been discontinued in Australia: what replaced it? AUAustraliaWhy does weight loss plateau on Mounjaro or Wegovy? AUAustraliaOzempic on the PBS: the type 2 diabetes criteria, authority scripts, and why it can’t be for weight loss
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Sources

  1. Eli Lilly. Mounjaro and Mounjaro KwikPen (tirzepatide) Australian Product Information, vA14.0, October 2026, sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 5.1 and 5.2. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  2. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) Australian Product Information, date of revision 22 June 2026, sections 4.2, 4.4, 4.6, 4.8 and 5.2. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au
  3. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) Australian Product Information, date of revision 25 September 2026, sections 4.1, 4.2 and 5.2. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  4. Novo Nordisk. Saxenda (liraglutide) Australian Product Information, date of revision 26 June 2026, sections 4.2, 4.4 and 5.2. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  5. Eli Lilly. Trulicity (dulaglutide) Australian Product Information, date of revision 28 May 2026, sections 4.2 and 5.2. Australian label. medsinfo.com.au (PDF)
  6. PBS. Semaglutide (Ozempic) item 12075M: type 2 diabetes, "First PBS-prescription for this drug", Authority Required. Checked 14 October 2026. pbs.gov.au
  7. PBS. Semaglutide (Ozempic) item 14163K: type 2 diabetes, "Subsequent PBS-prescriptions for any GLP-1 receptor agonist", Authority Required (Streamlined). Checked 14 October 2026. pbs.gov.au
  8. PBS. Medicine status: tirzepatide (Mounjaro), type 2 diabetes, document 1609. Page last updated 30 September 2026. pbs.gov.au
  9. PBS. Medicine status: semaglutide (Wegovy), established cardiovascular disease with obesity, document 1460 ("Medicine listed on the PBS: Has not yet occurred"). Checked 14 October 2026. pbs.gov.au
  10. newsGP (RACGP). In Practice: Discontinuation of diabetes, obesity drug. 11 December 2025. racgp.org.au
  11. Mozaffarian D, Agarwal M, Aggarwal M, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint advisory from four US societies. Am J Clin Nutr 2025;122(1):344–367. PubMed Central
  12. Healthdirect Australia. How healthdirect can help you ("call triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately"; nurse helpline 1800 022 222, 24 hours a day). healthdirect.gov.au
  13. Healthdirect Australia. Poisoning (Poisons Information Centre, 13 11 26, any time). healthdirect.gov.au
  14. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Reporting adverse events for consumers. Updated 2 September 2026. tga.gov.au
  15. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Applying the Advertising Code rules: price information. Updated 21 July 2026. tga.gov.au
  16. PBS. PBS restrictions for type 2 diabetes mellitus: summary tables, April 2025 (GLP-1 rows: dulaglutide (Trulicity) and semaglutide (Ozempic)). pbs.gov.au (PDF)

Last checked 14 Oct 2026 · Next review due 14 Oct 2027 · Report an error

How this post was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above, all checked on 14 Oct 2026. We don't publish medicine prices, and we don't name, rank or link to sellers or telehealth services. It's general information, not medical advice, and nothing here is an offer to supply any medicine. Talk to a qualified doctor, nurse or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write