Ozempic (semaglutide) and Trulicity (dulaglutide) are brand-name subcutaneous injections. They’re both prescribed for adults with type 2 diabetes who may or may not have certain cardiovascular problems. Trulicity may be prescribed for another purpose, as well.
This article explains some of the key differences between Ozempic and Trulicity. If you’re considering taking one of these drugs, this information can help you consider if one of these drugs may be right for you.
Note: For more comprehensive information about these two drugs, you can refer to our Ozempic and Trulicity articles.
Key differences between Ozempic and Trulicity
These are a few of the main differences between Ozempic and Trulicity:
- Use in children. Ozempic is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat adults only. Trulicity is FDA-approved to treat adults and certain children ages 10 years and older. (See the “Warnings of Ozempic and Trulicity” section.)
- Administration. Ozempic and Trulicity both come as a solution in a prefilled pen for subcutaneous injection. Ozempic pens can be used multiple times, while each Trulicity pen is for single use only. (See the “Dosage, forms, and administration” section.)
The active drug in Ozempic is semaglutide, and the active drug in Trulicity is dulaglutide.
Both of these drugs belong to a class of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists. They work in similar ways when used by people with a condition that both drugs are approved to help treat.
Ozempic and Trulicity have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the following.
- Both Ozempic and Trulicity are FDA-approved to:
- help manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes, along with diet and exercise
- reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack in adults with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
- Trulicity is also FDA-approved to:
- reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems in adults with type 2 diabetes and multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity
Neither drug is approved to treat type 1 diabetes.
Use for weight loss
Neither Ozempic nor Trulicity are FDA-approved for weight loss. However, both drugs may cause weight loss in some people. Moderate weight loss was commonly seen in clinical trials of Ozempic and Trulicity.
Some doctors may prescribe Ozempic and Trulicity off-label for weight loss. Off-label drug use is when an FDA-approved drug is prescribed for a purpose other than what it’s approved for. However, you shouldn’t use Ozempic or Trulicity for weight loss without your doctor’s guidance.
Other drugs that are similar to Ozempic and Trulicity have been approved specifically for weight loss. These include drugs such as Wegovy and Saxenda. If you’re interested in losing weight, talk with your doctor about Wegovy, Saxenda, or other treatments that might be helpful for you.
To learn more about using Ozempic off-label for weight loss, see this article.
Use in children
Trulicity is FDA-approved to help manage blood sugar levels in adults and children ages 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes. It’s approved for use in combination with diet and exercise. Ozempic is approved for this purpose in adults only.
How much Ozempic or Trulicity costs depends on the treatment plan your doctor prescribes, your insurance plan, and your pharmacy. You can visit Optum Perks* for price estimates of Ozempic and Trulicity. You can also refer to these cost articles for Ozempic and Trulicity.
Both Ozempic and Trulicity are brand-name drugs. Neither medication comes in a generic form. Brand-name medications are often more expensive than generics.
* Optum Perks is a sister site of Medical News Today.
There aren’t any foods in particular that you need to avoid while taking Ozempic or Trulicity. But you may need to limit your alcohol intake (if you drink). See below for details.
Alcohol with Ozempic or Trulicity
Drinking large amounts of alcohol can cause low blood sugar, sometimes several hours after you stop drinking. Ozempic and Trulicity can also lower your blood sugar. For this reason, you should avoid drinking too much alcohol while you’re taking one of these drugs, as this could raise your risk for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about how much, if any, is safe for you to drink during treatment with one of these drugs.
Here’s a quick look at the dosage and administration of Ozempic and Trulicity for the conditions both drugs treat.
Dosage for helping manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes
Here are the recommended doses of Ozempic and Trulicity to help manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Strengths are in milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL) of solution.
| Ozempic for type 2 diabetes | Trulicity for type 2 diabetes | |
| Form | subcutaneous injection | subcutaneous injection |
| Strengths | • 2 mg/3 mL • 4 mg/3 mL • 8 mg/3 mL | • 0.75 mg/0.5 mL • 1.5 mg/0.5 mL • 3 mg/0.5 mL • 4.5 mg/0.5 mL |
| Dose | 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg | 0.75 mg, 1.5 mg, 3 mg, or 4.5 mg |
| Frequency | once weekly | once weekly |
| Given by | self (see below) | self (see below) |
Ozempic injection pens come with disposable, single-use needles. You will need to attach a new needle to the pen each time you administer a dose. You’ll turn the dose selector on the pen to select your dose. The number of doses you can get from each pen depends on your dose and the strength of pen you use.
Trulicity injection pens come with a needle attached. Each pen is for single use only. It delivers one dose of medication. You’ll use a new pen each time you administer a dose.
Your doctor or another healthcare professional will show you or a caregiver how to give yourself Ozempic or Trulicity injections at home. Doses can be injected in the following areas:
- thigh
- abdomen (at least 2 inches away from your belly button)
- upper arm
To learn more about administering either of these drugs, see the step-by-step instructional videos for Ozempic or Trulicity. And to learn about Trulicity dosages for children, talk with your child’s doctor or refer to the drug’s prescribing information.
Dosage for reducing risk of cardiovascular problems in certain adults
Here are the recommended doses of Ozempic and Trulicity to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems in adults with both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Strengths are in milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL) of solution.
| Ozempic for reducing risk of cardiovascular problems | Trulicity for reducing risk of cardiovascular problems | |
| Form | subcutaneous injection | subcutaneous injection |
| Strengths | • 2 mg/3 mL • 4 mg/3 mL • 8 mg/3 mL | • 0.75 mg/0.5 mL • 1.5 mg/0.5 mL • 3 mg/0.5 mL • 4.5 mg/0.5 mL |
| Dose | 0.5 mg, 1 mg, or 2 mg | 0.75 mg, 1.5 mg, 3 mg, or 4.5 mg |
| Frequency | once weekly | once weekly |
| Given by | self (see below) | self (see below) |
Ozempic injection pens come with disposable, single-use needles. You will need to attach a new needle to the pen each time you administer a dose. You’ll turn the dose selector on the pen to select your dose. The number of doses you can get from each pen depends on your dose and the strength of pen you use.
Trulicity injection pens come with a needle attached. Each pen is for single use only. It delivers one dose of medication. You’ll use a new pen each time you administer a dose.
Your doctor or another healthcare professional will show you or a caregiver how to give yourself Ozempic or Trulicity injections at home. Doses can be injected in the following areas:
- thigh
- abdomen (at least 2 inches away from your belly button)
- upper arm
Ozempic and Trulicity are from the same drug class: glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists. For this reason, they cause very similar side effects. Below are some examples of these side effects.
For more details about side effects of the two drugs, see our side effect articles about Ozempic and Trulicity. You can also refer to the Ozempic prescribing information and Trulicity prescribing information.
Mild side effects
The following table lists some of the more commonly reported mild side effects of Ozempic or Trulicity, as well as some that both drugs share.
| Mild side effects | Ozempic | Trulicity |
| fatigue | ✓ | ✓ |
| nausea | ✓ | ✓ |
| vomiting | ✓ | ✓ |
| diarrhea | ✓ | ✓ |
| constipation | ✓ | ✓ |
| flatulence (gas) | ✓ | ✓ |
| abdominal pain | ✓ | ✓ |
| upset stomach | ✓ | ✓ |
| decreased appetite | ✓ | |
| mild allergic reaction* | ✓ | ✓ |
* An allergic reaction is possible after using Ozempic and Trulicity. This side effect wasn’t reported in clinical trials, but it has occurred since both drugs were approved.
Serious side effects
The following table lists the serious side effects of Ozempic or Trulicity, as well as some that both drugs share.
| Serious side effects | Ozempic | Trulicity |
| risk of thyroid cancer* | ✓ | ✓ |
| pancreatitis | ✓ | ✓ |
| hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) when used with insulin or other diabetes drugs called sulfonylureas | ✓ | ✓ |
| kidney damage | ✓ | ✓ |
| diabetic retinopathy (damage to your retina that’s caused by diabetes complications) | ✓ | ✓ |
| gallbladder disease, including gallstones or cholecystitis | ✓ | ✓ |
| severe gastrointestinal disease, including gastroparesis (a condition in which your stomach can’t empty as it usually would) | ✓ | |
| severe allergic reaction† | ✓ | ✓ |
Note: For more information about mild and serious side effects, see the side effects sections in our Ozempic and Trulicity articles.
* Ozempic and Trulicity both have a boxed warning for this side effect. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For more information, see the “Warnings of Ozempic and Trulicity” section below.
† An allergic reaction is possible after using Ozempic and Trulicity. This side effect wasn’t reported in clinical trials, but it has occurred since both drugs were approved.
Ozempic and Trulicity are both used to help manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. They’re also both used to reduce the risk of certain cardiovascular problems in adults with both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Both drugs have been found to be effective for these uses.
The effectiveness of these drugs for improving blood sugar levels has been directly compared in a
For information about how these drugs performed in other clinical studies, see the prescribing information for Ozempic and Trulicity.
Guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommend using a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist, such as Ozempic or Trulicity, in adults with type 2 diabetes who also have one of the following conditions:
- CVD or a risk for developing CVD
- kidney disease
The ADA doesn’t recommend any GLP-1 agonist over another. If your doctor decides to prescribe a GLP-1 agonist for you, you’ll work together to determine the one that’s best for you.
Ozempic and Trulicity share some of the same warnings, but they also have different ones. Some of these warnings are mentioned below. Before you start using Ozempic or Trulicity, be sure to talk with your doctor to see if these warnings apply to you.
Boxed warning: Risk of thyroid cancer
These drugs have a boxed warning for the risk of thyroid cancer. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.
In animal studies, Ozempic and Trulicity increased the risk of thyroid cancer. It’s not known if these drugs also increase the risk for thyroid cancer in humans.
Do not use Ozempic or Trulicity if you or a family member have ever had medullary thyroid carcinoma. You also should not use these drugs if you have a rare form of cancer called multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2.
See your doctor right away if you have symptoms of thyroid cancer while taking Ozempic or Trulicity. These symptoms may include a lump in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath.
Other warnings
In addition to the boxed warning above, Ozempic and Trulicity have other warnings. These drugs may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.
Warnings for Ozempic and Trulicity include:
- Pancreatitis. Both of these drugs can cause pancreatitis. If you’ve had pancreatitis in the past, you shouldn’t take Ozempic or Trulicity.
- Kidney problems. Both these drugs can cause kidney damage. If you already have kidney problems, these drugs could make these problems worse. Your doctor will want to monitor your kidney function if you take one of these drugs.
- Diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that’s related to diabetes. If you’ve received a diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy in the past, taking Ozempic or Trulicity could make your condition worse. Your doctor will want to monitor your eye health more often if you take one of these drugs.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. It’s not known if these drugs are safe to use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor about the best way to treat your diabetes if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Additionally, talk with them if you’re thinking about becoming pregnant or breastfeeding.
Warnings for Trulicity include:
- Severe gastrointestinal disease. Trulicity can sometimes cause serious side effects in your stomach or intestines. These include gastroparesis (a condition in which your stomach can’t empty as it usually would). Trulicity hasn’t been studied in people with severe gastrointestinal disease. It’s not recommended for these people.
You might be interested in switching from Ozempic to Trulicity or vice versa. For instance, if one drug doesn’t manage your blood sugar well enough, you may wonder if switching to a different drug would help. You might also wonder about switching if you have troublesome side effects from one of these drugs.
Switching between these drugs is possible, but your doctor might not recommend it. That’s because these drugs work in the same way, so if your blood sugar is still too high while taking one of them, it’s unlikely to be lowered with a switch to the other drug.
If your blood sugar isn’t well managed with one of these drugs, your doctor is more likely to recommend adding a different type of medication to your treatment schedule. But switching between these drugs might be an option if one of these drugs is working for you but is causing certain side effects.
If you’re worried about side effects or whether your treatment is working, talk with your doctor. They can let you know if switching to Ozempic or Trulicity is a good option for you.
It’s important that you do not stop, start, or switch any of your drug treatments without your doctor’s recommendation.
If you’re interested in taking Ozempic or Trulicity for type 2 diabetes, talk with your doctor. They can help you decide if one of these medications, or a different one, is right for you. You can discuss the information in this article as well as your full health history.
In general, Ozempic and Trulicity are very similar. But some people may find Trulicity pens easier to use than Ozempic pens.
Also, one key difference between the drugs is that Trulicity can sometimes cause serious side effects in your stomach or intestines. So, if you have a severe gastrointestinal condition, Ozempic might be more suitable for you. Your doctor can advise you on your treatment options.
If you’d like to learn more about Ozempic or Trulicity, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can help answer any questions you have about these drugs.
Note: For more information about your condition, see our diabetes and cardiovascular health hubs.
Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.