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Semaglutide, tirzepatide and every other GLP‑1 medicine in Canada compared

Every GLP‑1 medicine sold in Canada, side by side: the brands, how you take each one, what its main trial found, the side effects and the official price.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished 18 Oct 202610 min read33 sourcesWritten from published sources
What we checked33 sources, each one opened and linked to the sentence it supportsLast checked 18 Oct 2026 · Next review due 18 Apr 2027 · How we write

Written for Canada, from Canadian sources.

The short answer

Canada has four GLP‑1 medicines: semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide and dulaglutide, sold under eight brands, plus generic semaglutide. They differ in how often you take them (daily or weekly), in the form (pen or tablet), in what they’re approved for, in how much weight people lost in their trials, and in price. A doctor decides which, if any, fits.

At a glance (most searched first)

Most searched first in Canada (Google Trends, last 3 months to 18 Oct 2026). Not a ranking: the order says nothing about how well they work or what they cost.

Medicine and makerBrands in Canada, and what each is approved forHow it’s takenWeight change in its main trialMost common side effectsOfficial price a month
SemaglutideNovo Nordisk; generics by Apotex and Dr. Reddy’s Ozempic and generic semaglutide: type 2 diabetes in adults; Ozempic also lowers heart and kidney risk in type 2 diabetes3,23Wegovy: weight management in adults and teens 12 and over; heart-attack risk; a liver disease, MASH (conditional)1Rybelsus: type 2 diabetes in adults, including lowering heart risk4Sevmia (generic Wegovy): approved, not yet on sale9,21 Ozempic, generics, Wegovy, Sevmia: injection once a week, from a pen3,1Rybelsus: a tablet once a day, on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before food, drink or other pills, with no more than 120 mL of water4 −14.9% of body weight on Wegovy 2.4 mg, against −2.4% on a dummy injection, over 68 weeks (STEP 1)1,10At the lower diabetes doses: −6.0 kg on Ozempic 1 mg against −1.2 kg (SUSTAIN 5, 30 weeks); −3.7 kg on Rybelsus 14 mg against −1.4 kg (PIONEER 1, 26 weeks)3,4 Nausea: 44 in 100 on Wegovy 2.4 mg, against 16 in 100 on a dummy injection. Diarrhea 30 against 16; vomiting 24 against 61 Ozempic $123 to $247; Wegovy $421; Rybelsus $228; generic semaglutide $42 to $85; Sevmia $352, once it is sold15,16
TirzepatideEli Lilly Mounjaro: type 2 diabetes in adults and ages 10 to under 18; not approved for weight5Zepbound: weight management in adults; moderate to severe sleep apnea in adults with obesity2 Injection under the skin once a week; Zepbound from a 4-dose KwikPen2,5 −15.0% to −20.9% of body weight on Zepbound 5 to 15 mg, against −3.1% on a dummy injection, over 72 weeks (SURMOUNT-1)2,11In type 2 diabetes: −6.3 to −7.8 kg on Mounjaro 5 to 15 mg against −1.0 kg (SURPASS-1, 40 weeks)5 Nausea: 28 in 100 on Zepbound 15 mg, against 9 in 100 on a dummy injection. Diarrhea 23 against 8; vomiting 13 against 22 Mounjaro and Zepbound $325 to $585 (maker’s price submitted to Canada’s Drug Agency)17,18
LiraglutideNovo Nordisk Saxenda: weight management in adults and teens 12 and over6Victoza: type 2 diabetes from age 10, and lowering the risk of heart-related death in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease7 Injection under the skin once a day, from a multi-dose pen6,7 −8.0% of body weight on Saxenda 3 mg, against −2.6% on a dummy injection, over 56 weeks (SCALE)6,12 Nausea: 39 in 100 on Saxenda, against 14 in 100 on a dummy injection. Diarrhea 21 against 10; vomiting 16 against 46 Saxenda ≈ $91 to $457; Victoza ≈ $119 to $356 (BC wholesale estimates)20,19
DulaglutideEli Lilly Trulicity: type 2 diabetes in adults, and lowering the risk of a non-fatal stroke in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease or several risk factors8Not approved for weight loss Injection under the skin once a week, from a single-use pen8 −3.2 kg on 1.5 mg, against −2.3 kg on a dummy injection, over 24 weeks in adults with type 2 diabetes (AWARD-10)8A diabetes trial, reported in kg Nausea: 21 in 100 on 1.5 mg, against 5 in 100 on a dummy injection. Vomiting 13 against 2; diarrhea 13 against 78 Trulicity ≈ $287 to $289 (BC wholesale estimate)19

Side by side, most searched first in Canada (Google Trends), not ranked. Prices run from the lowest to the highest dose; a month is a twelfth of a year of 52 weekly doses (or 364 days), the method our cost calculator uses. ≈ marks a wholesale estimate without pharmacy markup or fee; pharmacies add their own. No price is published for Ozempic 2 mg. Not in the table: orforglipron, a newer daily pill, which isn’t approved in Canada.21 The trials were separate, so their numbers can’t be compared directly. Checked 18 Oct 2026.

Key takeaways

  • Four GLP‑1 medicines are sold in Canada: semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus and generics), tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza) and dulaglutide (Trulicity).21
  • Only Wegovy, Zepbound and Saxenda are approved for weight management; Sevmia, a generic of Wegovy, is approved but not yet sold. The other brands are for type 2 diabetes.1,2,6,9
  • Liraglutide is taken every day, Rybelsus is a daily tablet, and the rest are weekly injections.4,6
  • In the one head-to-head weight trial, SURMOUNT-5, people lost 20.2% of their weight on tirzepatide and 13.7% on semaglutide over 72 weeks.13
  • No public plan covers a GLP‑1 medicine for weight. Several provinces cover Ozempic and generic semaglutide for type 2 diabetes, with criteria.24,25,26
Before you go further
  • GLP‑1 medicines are prescription drugs in Canada. Nothing here is a reason to start, stop or switch one: talk to your doctor first.21
  • We name brands and official prices as facts. We don’t recommend, rank or link to any brand, pharmacy, clinic or program.
  • Canadian law bans advertising any drug to the public as a treatment for obesity or diabetes, and limits any public advertising of a prescription drug to its name, price and quantity.28,29 This page is independent information, not an ad, and nothing here is for sale.
  • Trial results are averages. Some people lose much more, some very little, and every medicine has risks: see our side effects guide.
On this page
  1. Which medicines and brands are sold in Canada?
  2. Why are there so many GLP‑1 medicines?
  3. Why are some pills and some injections, some weekly and some daily?
  4. Why does the same medicine have two brands?
  5. How do the results compare?
  6. Which costs more, and who pays?
  7. Which one? What does a doctor weigh?
  8. Questions people ask
  9. How we researched this
  10. Sources

Which medicines and brands are sold in Canada?

Four medicines, each sold under one or more brands. The medicine is what works in your body; the brand is the name on the box, as acetaminophen is the medicine and Tylenol a brand.

GLP‑1 is a gut hormone your body releases after you eat. These medicines copy it, and tirzepatide also copies a second gut hormone, GIP.5,8 A generic is a copy made by another company once patents and data protection end; Canada approved its first generic semaglutide in April 2026.23

GLP‑1 medicines on sale in Canada, and their brands (as of 18 Oct 2026)

MedicineSemaglutide →Weekly injection, or a daily tablet
  • OzempicNovo Nordisk · injectionType 2 diabetes
  • WegovyNovo Nordisk · injectionWeight, heart, MASH
  • RybelsusNovo Nordisk · tabletType 2 diabetes
  • Generic semaglutideApotex, Dr. Reddy’s · injectionType 2 diabetes
MedicineTirzepatide →Weekly injection
  • MounjaroEli LillyType 2 diabetes
  • ZepboundEli LillyWeight, sleep apnea
MedicineLiraglutide →Daily injection
  • SaxendaNovo NordiskWeight
  • VictozaNovo NordiskType 2 diabetes
MedicineDulaglutide →Weekly injection
  • TrulicityEli LillyType 2 diabetes

Names only, not a recommendation. Approved but not yet on sale: Sevmia (generic Wegovy) and generic semaglutide from Aspen and Sandoz. Not approved in Canada: orforglipron.21 The full tree, with every approved use, is in our guide to GLP‑1 types and brands.

Why are there so many GLP‑1 medicines?

Two companies, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, have each made several, and each one changed something about the last: how often you take it, its form, or the hormones it acts on.

  • Liraglutide is the oldest still sold in Canada: a once-a-day injection.7
  • Dulaglutide and semaglutide last long enough in the body to be injected once a week.8,4
  • Oral semaglutide (Rybelsus) made the medicine a tablet, taken on an empty stomach.4
  • Tirzepatide acts on two gut-hormone receptors, GIP and GLP‑1, not just one.5

When each first went on sale or was approved in Canada:

  1. 2010Victoza (liraglutide) goes on sale.21
  2. 2015Saxenda (liraglutide) goes on sale in May; Trulicity (dulaglutide) is authorized in November.21,8
  3. 2018Ozempic (semaglutide) is approved in January.22
  4. 2020Rybelsus, the semaglutide tablet, goes on sale.21
  5. 2021Wegovy (semaglutide) is approved in November.16
  6. 2022Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is approved in November.22
  7. 2025Zepbound (tirzepatide) is authorized in May.33
  8. 2026The first generic semaglutide is approved in April and on sale from May.23,21

Generics. Data protection on semaglutide ended on 4 January 2026, which opened the way for copies; on tirzepatide it runs to 24 November 2030.22 We found no generic liraglutide in Health Canada’s database.21 More in generic semaglutide in Canada.

Why are some pills and some injections, some weekly and some daily?

It comes down to how long each medicine lasts in your blood, and how well it survives being swallowed.

  • Daily or weekly. Your own GLP‑1 is broken down in 1.5 to 2 minutes.8 Half of a liraglutide dose is gone after about 13 hours, so it’s taken daily.7 Dulaglutide and tirzepatide take about 5 days to halve, and semaglutide about a week, so one injection a week is enough.8,5,4
  • Why most are injections. Swallowed, semaglutide is barely absorbed: only about 1 to 2 in 100 parts of a tablet reach the blood. Rybelsus adds an ingredient (SNAC) that helps it through the stomach wall.4
  • Why the tablet has rules. Food, drink or more water lowers how much is absorbed. So Rybelsus is taken on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before anything else, with no more than 120 mL (half a glass) of water.4
  • A pill without food rules. Orforglipron, approved in the US in 2026 as Foundayo, is a daily tablet taken with or without food. It isn’t approved in Canada.31,21

The tablet and the injection are compared in Rybelsus vs Ozempic.

Why does the same medicine have two brands?

Because each brand is approved for a different use, at different doses. The maker sells them under different names.

  • Ozempic and Wegovy are both semaglutide. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes, up to 2 mg a week; Wegovy for weight management, up to 2.4 mg.3,1 See Wegovy vs Ozempic.
  • Mounjaro and Zepbound are both tirzepatide. Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes, Zepbound for weight management and sleep apnea.5,2 See Zepbound vs Mounjaro.
  • Victoza and Saxenda are both liraglutide: Victoza for type 2 diabetes up to 1.8 mg a day, Saxenda for weight up to 3 mg.7,6

Using a diabetes brand for weight loss is “off-label”: a use the brand isn’t approved for. A doctor may still prescribe it that way on their own judgment.30 The Zepbound monograph says not to combine it with Mounjaro or any other GLP‑1 medicine.2

How do the results compare?

Each medicine’s main weight trial compared it with a dummy injection (placebo). The trials were separate, with different people and lengths, so their numbers can’t be compared directly.

In each trial, people were put into groups at random, and everyone had the same diet and exercise advice. The gap between the medicine group and the dummy-injection group is what the medicine added. The makers paid for all three trials below.10,11,12

Average weight lost in each medicine’s main weight trial
% of body weight. Separate trials: not a ranking.
Liraglutide: Saxenda 3 mg, SCALE, 56 weeks, 3,731 adults without diabetes
Saxenda (liraglutide)8.0%
Dummy2.6%
Semaglutide: Wegovy 2.4 mg, STEP 1, 68 weeks, 1,961 adults without diabetes
Wegovy (semaglutide)14.9%
Dummy2.4%
Tirzepatide: Zepbound 15 mg, SURMOUNT-1, 72 weeks, 2,539 adults without diabetes
Zepbound (tirzepatide)20.9%
Dummy3.1%
From the Canadian product monographs.6,1,2 For someone starting at 90 kg (198 lb): 8.0% is about 7 kg (16 lb), 14.9% about 13 kg (30 lb) and 20.9% about 19 kg (41 lb), by our arithmetic. Dulaglutide has no weight trial: it is a diabetes medicine.

These are averages. In STEP 1, 84 in 100 people on Wegovy lost at least 5% of their weight; put the other way, about 16 in 100 lost less.1 In SCALE, 64 in 100 on Saxenda did, so about a third lost less.6 Each trial in more detail, dose by dose, is in our trial results tool.

The head-to-head trial

SURMOUNT-5 gave 751 adults with obesity and no diabetes either tirzepatide or semaglutide, at the highest dose each person could take, for 72 weeks. Weight fell 20.2% on tirzepatide and 13.7% on semaglutide. Eli Lilly, tirzepatide’s maker, paid for it, and people knew which medicine they were taking.13 Details are in Wegovy vs Zepbound.

Other head-to-head trials were in type 2 diabetes. In SURPASS-2, people lost 7.6 to 11.2 kg on tirzepatide and 5.7 kg on semaglutide 1 mg over 40 weeks.14 In AWARD-6, weight fell 2.9 kg on dulaglutide 1.5 mg and 3.6 kg on liraglutide 1.8 mg over 26 weeks.8 See Mounjaro vs Ozempic.

RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Stomach effects (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation) are the most common side effects of every one.1,2,6,8
  • Pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas) is a warning on the Canadian monographs: severe stomach pain that won’t go away, sometimes spreading to the back.4,5,7,8
  • Thyroid. None is for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer, or with MEN 2, an inherited condition that causes gland tumours.4,5,7,8
  • The pill and pregnancy. Tirzepatide can make the contraceptive pill less reliable for 4 weeks after starting and after each dose increase.5 Semaglutide should be stopped at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy.4
Full detail in our side effects guide →
Get help now: call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department for severe stomach pain that won’t go away, with or without vomiting. It can be pancreatitis. Not sure? Call 811 to speak to a nurse in most provinces (Info-Santé 811 in Quebec).32

Which costs more, and who pays?

Official prices a month, from the lowest to the highest dose, by medicine, most searched first in Canada (Google Trends):15,16,17,18,19,20

  • Semaglutide: Ozempic $123 to $247; Wegovy $421; Rybelsus $228; generic semaglutide $42 to $85; Sevmia $352, once it’s on sale.
  • Tirzepatide: Mounjaro and Zepbound $325 to $585.
  • Liraglutide: Saxenda about $91 to $457; Victoza about $119 to $356.
  • Dulaglutide: Trulicity about $287 to $289.

The sources differ. Semaglutide prices are Ontario’s formulary prices, except Wegovy, whose price is the one Novo Nordisk submitted to Canada’s Drug Agency; tirzepatide prices are Eli Lilly’s submitted prices. Dulaglutide and liraglutide are BC Ministry of Health wholesale estimates, without pharmacy markup or fee; the Saxenda figure dates from 2024. Every dose and pack is in our prices table, and the cost calculator adds up a plan month by month.

What coverage changes. Each province runs its own drug plan, and private plans set their own rules.

  • For weight: we found no public plan that covers Wegovy, Zepbound or Saxenda.24,20,15
  • For type 2 diabetes: Ontario, BC and Quebec cover semaglutide injections (Ozempic, and in Ontario the generic price) with criteria, usually after metformin.25,26,27 No public plan lists tirzepatide, and Canada’s Drug Agency notes that dulaglutide isn’t funded by any jurisdiction.15,18

Province by province: who pays for GLP‑1s in Canada, and why no province covers Wegovy or Zepbound.

Free toolWork out a year’s medicine cost

Official Canadian prices, dose by dose. Free, no sign-up.

Open the calculator

Which one? What does a doctor weigh?

We don’t recommend any of them. These are the points a doctor and patient usually talk through, from the Canadian labels and guideline.

  • Your health conditions. Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, sleep apnea or MASH each match some labels and not others.1,2,3,8
  • Who the weight labels cover. Wegovy, Zepbound and Saxenda are for a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition; Saxenda also asks that another weight-management attempt has failed. Each label adds the medicine to a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity.1,2,6 The Canadian guideline uses ethnicity-specific BMI thresholds, lower for some groups.30
  • Daily or weekly, needle or tablet. Liraglutide is daily; the tablet comes with fasting rules.6,4
  • Side effects and how you coped with any earlier medicine.
  • Age, pregnancy and contraception. Wegovy and Saxenda are approved for teens 12 and over; Zepbound’s weight use is for adults.1,6,2
  • Availability and cost. What’s on sale, and what your provincial or private plan pays for.

Our guide to your options sets medicines beside lifestyle care and surgery, and the eligibility check lists the label thresholds.

Questions people ask

Which GLP-1 medicines are sold in Canada?

Four medicines: semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus and generic semaglutide), tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza) and dulaglutide (Trulicity). Sevmia, a generic of Wegovy, is approved but wasn’t on sale on 18 October 2026.21

What’s the difference between Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound?

Ozempic and Wegovy are semaglutide; Mounjaro and Zepbound are tirzepatide. In each pair, the first brand is approved for type 2 diabetes and the second for weight management, at different doses.3,1,5,2

Is there a GLP-1 pill in Canada?

Yes, for type 2 diabetes: Rybelsus, a daily semaglutide tablet taken on an empty stomach. No GLP-1 pill is approved in Canada for weight management, and orforglipron isn’t approved here.4,21

How much do GLP-1 medicines cost a month in Canada?

At official prices, between about $42 and $585 a month, depending on the medicine, the brand and the dose. Each brand’s range is in the table at the top of this page. Pharmacies add their own markup and fees.15,16,17

Is there a generic GLP-1 in Canada?

Yes. Generic semaglutide from Apotex and Dr. Reddy’s has been on sale since May 2026, for type 2 diabetes. Sevmia, a generic of Wegovy, is approved but not yet sold. We found no generic liraglutide or tirzepatide.21,23

Can I take two GLP-1 medicines together?

No. The Zepbound monograph says not to combine it with Mounjaro or any other GLP-1 medicine. Your prescriber decides any switch.2

How we researched this

We read the Canadian product monographs for every brand in the table, the main trial papers, and Health Canada’s Drug Product Database on 18 October 2026. Trial figures are the ones in our trial results tool, from the monographs; dulaglutide’s come from the Trulicity monograph, because it has no weight trial.

Prices are the same figures as our prices table and cost calculator: Ontario’s formulary, the makers’ prices submitted to Canada’s Drug Agency, and BC Ministry of Health wholesale estimates. Coverage is from the provincial plans’ own pages.

Before you move on

  • Check which medicine and brand is on your prescription, and what it’s approved for.
  • Ask what your provincial or private plan covers, and its criteria.
  • Never use two GLP‑1 medicines together.
  • Check the 8-digit DIN on the box in Health Canada’s database.
  • Know the warning signs in the risks box.
Trial resultsCost calculatorCould it be an option?Side effects and risks

More from the Canada blog

CACanadaHow much do Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound cost in Canada?CACanadaWhich generic versions of Ozempic and Wegovy are approved in Canada?CACanadaWegovy for the heart and liver, and Zepbound for sleep apnea: what’s approved in Canada?
About GLP Guidebook

The twice-monthly Canada update

An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don’t sell medicines, take drug-company money, earn commissions or link to any provider. Twice a month: Health Canada approvals, recalls, provincial coverage changes and official prices. How we write

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Sources

  1. Novo Nordisk Canada. Wegovy (semaglutide injection) Product Monograph, 2 October 2026 (indications, including teens 12 and over, non-fatal heart attack risk and MASH under conditional approval; once weekly up to 2.4 mg; BMI 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition; STEP 1, Table 9: −14.9% vs −2.4% on placebo, 83.5% vs 31.1% lost at least 5%; Table 4, STEP 1 to 3 pooled: nausea 44% vs 16%, diarrhea 30% vs 16%, vomiting 24% vs 6.3%). Checked 18 October 2026. PDF
  2. Eli Lilly Canada. Zepbound (tirzepatide injection) Product Monograph, 11 June 2026 (weight management in adults at BMI 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with a weight-related condition; sleep apnea in adults with obesity; “The ZEPBOUND multi-dose KwikPen contains 4 doses”; SURMOUNT-1, Table 7: −15.0%, −19.5% and −20.9% on 5, 10 and 15 mg vs −3.1%; Table 2, 15 mg vs placebo: nausea 28.0% vs 8.5%, diarrhea 22.5% vs 7.8%, vomiting 12.5% vs 2.2%; coadministration with Mounjaro or any GLP‑1 receptor agonist not recommended). PDF
  3. Novo Nordisk Canada. Ozempic (semaglutide injection) Product Monograph, 13 July 2026 (type 2 diabetes in adults, including reducing the risk of major heart and blood-vessel events, and of kidney decline, in type 2 diabetes; once weekly, maximum 2 mg; SUSTAIN 5, Table 10: −6.0 kg on 1 mg vs −1.2 kg on placebo over 30 weeks). PDF
  4. Novo Nordisk Canada. Rybelsus (semaglutide tablets) Product Monograph, 13 July 2026 (type 2 diabetes in adults, including reducing the risk of major heart events; “must be taken on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes before the first food, beverage or other oral medications of the day”; “no more than half a glass of water equivalent to 120 mL”; SNAC “a semaglutide absorption enhancer”; “absolute bioavailability … approximately 1-2%”; half-life “approximately 1 week”; stop at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy; PIONEER 1, Table 9: −3.7 kg on 14 mg vs −1.4 kg; contraindicated with a history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2; pancreatitis warning). Checked 18 October 2026. PDF
  5. Eli Lilly Canada. Mounjaro (tirzepatide injection) Product Monograph, 23 June 2026 (type 2 diabetes in adults and ages 10 to under 18; “a GIP and a GLP-1 receptor agonist”; “elimination half-life of approximately 5 days, enabling once-weekly dosing”; SURPASS-1, Table 9: −6.3 to −7.8 kg on 5 to 15 mg vs −1.0 kg over 40 weeks; oral contraceptives: non-oral or added barrier method for 4 weeks after starting and after each dose increase; MTC/MEN 2 contraindication; acute pancreatitis warning). Checked 18 October 2026. PDF
  6. Novo Nordisk Canada. Saxenda (liraglutide injection) Product Monograph, 10 September 2025 (chronic weight management in adults at BMI 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition “and who have failed a previous weight management intervention”; teens 12 and over; once daily up to 3 mg; Table 7, Study 1: −8.0% vs −2.6%, 63.5% vs 26.6% lost at least 5%; Table 3, 5 trials pooled: nausea 39.3% vs 13.8%, diarrhea 20.9% vs 9.9%, vomiting 15.7% vs 3.9%). Checked 18 October 2026. PDF
  7. Novo Nordisk Canada. Victoza (liraglutide injection) Product Monograph, 21 August 2025 (once daily for type 2 diabetes in adults, and from age 10; “to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular death in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular disease”; “elimination half-life of approximately 13 hours”; MTC/MEN 2 contraindication; pancreatitis warning). Checked 18 October 2026. PDF
  8. Eli Lilly Canada. Trulicity (dulaglutide injection) Product Monograph, initial authorization 10 November 2015, revised 5 July 2024 (once weekly for type 2 diabetes in adults, and “to reduce the risk of non-fatal stroke” in type 2 diabetes with multiple cardiovascular risk factors or established cardiovascular disease; native GLP‑1 half-life “1.5 to 2 minutes”; dulaglutide half-life “approximately 5 days”; AWARD-10, Table 12: −3.2 kg on 1.5 mg vs −2.3 kg on placebo over 24 weeks, 423 people; AWARD-6, Table 9: −2.9 kg vs −3.6 kg on liraglutide 1.8 mg over 26 weeks; Table 2: nausea 21.1% on 1.5 mg vs 5.3% on placebo, vomiting 12.7% vs 2.3%, diarrhea 12.6% vs 6.7%; MTC/MEN 2 contraindication; pancreatitis warning). Checked 18 October 2026. PDF
  9. Apotex. Sevmia (semaglutide injection) Product Monograph, date of authorization 29 June 2026 (generic of Wegovy; weight management and non-fatal heart attack risk; “SEVMIA can be prescribed only for 1 mg once weekly dosing”). PDF
  10. Wilding JPH, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med 2021;384:989–1002. 1,961 adults, 68 weeks. Funded by Novo Nordisk. PMID 33567185. PubMed
  11. Jastreboff AM, et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-1). N Engl J Med 2022;387:205–216. 2,539 adults, 72 weeks. Supported by Eli Lilly. PMID 35658024. PubMed
  12. Pi-Sunyer X, et al. A randomized, controlled trial of 3.0 mg of liraglutide in weight management (SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes). N Engl J Med 2015;373:11–22. 3,731 adults, 56 weeks. Funded by Novo Nordisk. PMID 26132939. PubMed
  13. Aronne LJ, et al. Tirzepatide as compared with semaglutide for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-5). N Engl J Med 2025;393:26–36. Open-label, 72 weeks, 751 adults without diabetes; −20.2% vs −13.7%; funded by Eli Lilly. PMID 40353578. PubMed
  14. Frías JP, et al. Tirzepatide versus semaglutide once weekly in patients with type 2 diabetes (SURPASS-2). N Engl J Med 2021;385:503–515. Open-label, 40 weeks, 1,879 people; weight −7.6 to −11.2 kg on tirzepatide vs −5.7 kg on semaglutide 1 mg; funded by Eli Lilly. PMID 34170647. PubMed
  15. Ontario Ministry of Health. Ontario Drug Benefit Formulary search (generic semaglutide, Apotex and Dr. Reddy’s, $78.141 a pen; Ozempic $227.94 a pen, interchangeable, the plan paying the generic price; Sevmia $325.048 a pen, off-formulary; Rybelsus $7.5303 a tablet at every strength, Limited Use; no tirzepatide, liraglutide or dulaglutide). Checked 12 October 2026, the date of our cost calculator’s prices. Link
  16. Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC). Semaglutide (Wegovy) SR0841, pharmacoeconomic review: “The unit cost is $388.64 per pen … the cost of pens is the same for all doses”, each pen holding 4 doses (the maker’s submitted price); “NOC date November 23, 2021”. 2025. Link
  17. Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC). Tirzepatide (Zepbound) reimbursement recommendation SR0920, committee meeting 24 June 2026: submitted price $300.00 per 2.5 or 5 mg pen, $420.00 per 7.5 or 10 mg pen and $540.00 per 12.5 or 15 mg pen (“12 mg” in the source), each pen holding 4 weekly doses. Link
  18. Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC). Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) reimbursement recommendation SR0886, meetings 25 March and 22 July 2026: the same submitted pen prices of $300, $420 and $540; “dulaglutide … is not currently funded by jurisdictions in Canada”. Link
  19. BC Ministry of Health, Provincial Academic Detailing Service. Refills: diabetes drug table update, September 2026. Approximate annual cost without markup or professional fee (McKesson Canada, 27 July 2026): Trulicity $3,450 (0.75 mg) to $3,475 (1.5 mg); Victoza $1,430 (0.6 mg) to $4,280 (1.8 mg); Rybelsus, Trulicity and Victoza PharmaCare non-benefits. PDF
  20. BC Ministry of Health, Provincial Academic Detailing Service. Medications for weight loss marketed in Canada, May 2024: Saxenda “Approx. annual cost: $5500” at 3 mg, without markup or fee (McKesson Canada, 27 May 2024); PharmaCare non-benefit. PDF
  21. Health Canada. Drug Product Database: status and first market dates (Victoza marketed 27 May 2010; Saxenda 27 May 2015; Trulicity 24 November 2015; Rybelsus 19 April 2020; first generic semaglutide 6 May 2026; Sevmia, Aspen and Sandoz semaglutide “Approved”, not marketed; no orforglipron product; no generic liraglutide; all on the “Prescription” schedule). Searched 18 October 2026. Link
  22. Health Canada. Register of Innovative Drugs, 24 January 2025 edition (semaglutide: Ozempic approved 4 January 2018, data protection ended 4 January 2026; tirzepatide: Mounjaro approved 24 November 2022, data protection ends 24 November 2030). PDF
  23. Health Canada. News release: Canada becomes the first G7 country to approve a generic version of semaglutide, 28 April 2026. Link
  24. BC PharmaCare. Drug coverage decision: semaglutide (Wegovy), “Non-benefit”, 18 December 2025 (the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance ended negotiations without agreement on 1 December 2025; Novo Nordisk “would no longer be seeking public coverage of Wegovy in Canada”). PDF
  25. Ontario Ministry of Health. Executive Officer Notice, 26 January 2024: semaglutide Limited Use for adults with type 2 diabetes when blood sugar isn’t controlled on the maximum tolerated dose of metformin, or metformin can’t be used. PDF
  26. BC PharmaCare. Limited coverage drugs: semaglutide (Special Authority for type 2 diabetes after inadequate control on maximum tolerated metformin; up to 1 mg weekly), updated 21 April 2026. Link
  27. Diabète Québec. Table of diabetes medications and their coverage, March 2026 (RAMQ: Ozempic an exception drug “in association with MET, where a SU is contraindicated, not tolerated or ineffective”; Mounjaro private insurance only). A secondary source: we could not reach the RAMQ list itself. PDF
  28. Food and Drugs Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. F-27), section 3(1): “No person shall advertise any food, drug, cosmetic or device to the general public as a treatment, preventative or cure for any of the diseases … referred to in Schedule A.1”; Schedule A.1 lists diabetes and obesity. Justice Laws Website. Checked 14 October 2026. Link
  29. Food and Drug Regulations (C.R.C., c. 870), section C.01.044: “If a person advertises a prescription drug to the general public, the person shall not make any representation other than with respect to the brand name, the proper name, the common name and the price and quantity of the drug.” Justice Laws Website. Checked 12 October 2026. Link
  30. Pedersen SD, et al. Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guideline: Pharmacotherapy for Obesity Management in Adults, 2025 update. Obesity Canada, Version 3, 11 August 2025 (medicines added to behavioural care at BMI 30 or more, or 27 or more with adiposity-related complications, using ethnicity-specific BMI thresholds; off-label prescribing). PDF
  31. Eli Lilly. Foundayo (orforglipron) tablets: US prescribing information, revised 7/2026 (“Initial U.S. Approval: 2026”; “Take FOUNDAYO orally once daily, with or without food”). Checked 18 October 2026. Link
  32. Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Medical services by phone (811 in most provinces and Yukon; Info-Santé 811 in Quebec). Checked 12 October 2026. Link
  33. Eli Lilly Canada. Press release, 16 June 2026: Zepbound “was first authorized by Health Canada on May 13, 2025”; sleep apnea indication added. Link

Last checked 18 Oct 2026 · Next review due 18 Apr 2027 · Report an error

How this page was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. Prices are official list, formulary, maker-submitted or government wholesale-estimate prices, never a pharmacy, clinic, savings-card or coupon price. Figures marked as our arithmetic are worked out from those sources. It’s general information, not medical advice, and not an advertisement for any medicine. Talk to your family doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. We don’t sell, prescribe or recommend any brand or provider. How we write