Last updated May 30, 2026
Category
Best Prescription GLP-1
FDA-approved GLP-1 medications requiring prescription.
We recommend
3 picks · different angles- Top pick1Editor's Choice
FDA-approved tirzepatide for weight loss
- Most effective FDA-approved weight-loss medication to date, with up to about 22.5% average body-weight loss at the 15 mg dose in SURMOUNT-1
- Demonstrated head-to-head superiority over Wegovy (20.2% vs 13.7%) in the SURMOUNT-5 NEJM trial
- Convenient once-weekly injection with a flexible dosing window (can be taken up to 4 days late)
FDA-approvedBrand-nameOnce-weekly injectionDual GIP / GLP-1Insurance eligible - 2Runner-up
Tirzepatide for type 2 diabetes
- Category-leading efficacy: in the SURPASS-2 head-to-head trial it beat injectable semaglutide on both A1C (about 2.3-percentage-point reduction at 15 mg) and weight (roughly 11 kg, about 12%)
- Dual GIP/GLP-1 mechanism delivers strong blood-sugar control plus substantial weight loss as a benefit for people with type 2 diabetes
- Convenient once-weekly injection with a pre-filled pen, no daily pills or daily dosing
Off-label useOnce-weekly injectionDual GIP / GLP-1Insurance eligible - 3Best for editor's choice#1· Editor's ChoiceEditor's ChoiceBest for CV Risk
FDA-approved semaglutide for chronic weight management
- Among the most effective FDA-approved weight-loss medications, with about 15% average body-weight reduction in large randomized trials (STEP 1 and STEP 5)
- Documented cardiovascular benefit: a 20% reduction in heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death in adults with established heart disease who are overweight or obese (SELECT trial)
- Once-weekly injection, with a newer once-daily oral pill option approved in December 2025 for patients who prefer to avoid needles
FDA-approvedBrand-nameOnce-weekly injectionGLP-1 receptor agonistInsurance eligible - 4
Semaglutide approved for type 2 diabetes
- Strong, well-documented blood-sugar control, lowering A1C by roughly 1 to 2 percentage points in trials
- Reduced the combined rate of major cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, CV death) by 26% in high-risk patients in the SUSTAIN-6 trial, driven mainly by fewer strokes
- Newly FDA-approved (January 2025, based on the FLOW trial) to reduce the risk of worsening kidney disease in type 2 diabetes with chronic kidney disease, the broadest indication in its class
Off-label useOnce-weekly injectionGLP-1 receptor agonistInsurance eligible - 5
Daily liraglutide for weight loss
- Backed by large randomized trials (the SCALE program enrolled thousands of participants) and nearly a decade of real-world safety data since liraglutide's weight-loss approval in 2014
- Clinically meaningful results: about 63% of patients lost 5% or more of body weight in the pivotal SCALE trial
- One of the few weight-management drugs FDA-approved for adolescents aged 12-17, not just adults
FDA-approvedBrand-nameDaily injectionGLP-1 receptor agonist