Mounjaro in the Philippines: prescription, legal access and what to know

What Mounjaro is

What is Mounjaro? It is a brand of tirzepatide, given as an injection under the skin once a week. The FDA Philippines Verification Portal lists Mounjaro KwikPen (0.6 mL) and Mounjaro (0.5 mL) as registered in the Philippines (checked October 7, 2026).

The US Mounjaro label says tirzepatide increases first- and second-phase insulin release and lowers glucagon, both in a glucose-dependent way.

The US Zepbound label, which contains the same molecule, says tirzepatide activates two receptors, GIP and GLP-1, the targets of two of the body's own hormones. It adds that both receptors are found in brain areas involved in appetite, that tirzepatide decreases calorie intake, likely by affecting appetite, and that it contains a fatty acid chain that binds albumin and prolongs its action.

Tirzepatide is also sold as Zepbound, a separate brand with its own label. For the molecule as a whole, see our tirzepatide guide.

Approved uses on each regulator's label

What is Mounjaro approved for? It depends on the regulator.

In the US, weight management is not among Mounjaro's approved uses. The US tirzepatide brand for weight is Zepbound, and the US FDA says Zepbound should not be used together with Mounjaro or a GLP-1 receptor agonist. The Philippine package insert for Mounjaro KwikPen does include weight management in adults.

Is Mounjaro FDA approved in the Philippines?

Yes. Mounjaro KwikPen and Mounjaro are listed as registered prescription drugs in the FDA Philippines Verification Portal (checked October 7, 2026). A search for Mounjaro returned 12 registrations, all tirzepatide solution for subcutaneous injection, all classified as prescription drugs and all valid on that date. Zuellig Pharma Corporation is listed as importer and distributor.

Registration records. The table shows each registered product form as listed on the portal. The strengths are registered product forms, not dosing advice. Your doctor sets your dose.

The approved Philippine uses shown above come from the Mounjaro KwikPen package insert linked from the portal for DR-XY49504 (the same file is linked for DR-XY49505). No insert is linked for the 0.5 mL records. The portal records do not say whether the 0.5 mL Mounjaro products are pens or vials.

No record was found for Zepbound in an FDA Philippines Verification Portal search on October 7, 2026. You can check the current status of any product on the FDA Philippines verification portal at verification.fda.gov.ph.

How to get a Mounjaro prescription legally

How do you get Mounjaro legally in the Philippines? With a valid prescription, dispensed by a licensed pharmacist through a retail drug outlet licensed by FDA Philippines.

The prescription. The FDA Philippines Verification Portal lists every Mounjaro registration as a prescription drug (checked October 7, 2026). RA 10918 defines prescription medicines as medicines a pharmacist may dispense only on a valid prescription from a physician, dentist or veterinarian.

The pharmacy. Under the Philippine Pharmacy Act (RA 10918), prescription medicines are dispensed only by a registered and licensed pharmacist with a valid prescription. Pharmaceutical products may be made available to the public only through a retail drug outlet licensed by FDA Philippines. Dispensing includes the pharmacist reading, validating and interpreting the prescription, and counseling the patient.

Online consultations. DOH-DILG-PhilHealth Joint Administrative Order No. 2021-0001 sets guidelines for telemedicine. Under it:

• Only licensed physicians may practice telemedicine.
• The physician decides, using professional judgment, whether telemedicine is appropriate, and may ask for a face-to-face consultation at any step.
• The JAO also says first-time consultations, emergencies and cases that need face-to-face assessment should not be managed using telemedicine.
• An electronic prescription must carry the physician's digital signature, name and license number.
• Pharmaceutical outlets must dispense as prescribed by a valid electronic prescription, which counts as a written prescription. Pharmacists may verify it with the physician.

Sellers. Under the FDA Act of 2009 (RA 9711), selling, distributing or retailing any drug without an FDA License to Operate is prohibited, and so is selling a health product that requires FDA registration but is not registered.

How Mounjaro is taken, and the KwikPen

How is Mounjaro used? The US Mounjaro label says:

• Inject once weekly, at any time of day, with or without meals.
• Inject under the skin in the abdomen or thigh, or have another person inject in the back of the upper arm.
• Rotate injection sites with each dose.

The Mounjaro Medication Guide says not to share a Mounjaro KwikPen or needles with other people, even if the needle has been changed, because of the risk of serious infection.

Pen and vial forms. The pen details below come from the US Zepbound label, which contains the same molecule. They are not recorded from the Mounjaro label itself.

The same label describes the solution as clear and colorless to slightly yellow, and says not to use it if particles or discoloration are seen.

The Philippine package insert for Mounjaro KwikPen (linked from FDA Philippines Verification Portal record DR-XY49504) says: "Each pre-filled KwikPen contains 2.4 ml of solution for injection (4 doses of 0.6 ml)." Needles are not included.

The US label dose schedule

What dose schedule does the label set? The US Mounjaro label (revised 8/2026) starts low and steps up, to reduce the risk of stomach side effects. This is the label schedule, quoted for information. Your doctor sets your dose.

These numbers come from the US label. They are not instructions for you. Your doctor sets your dose.

Key trials behind Mounjaro's uses

What did the trials show? For type 2 diabetes, two large trials are recorded here.

Weight trials. These tested tirzepatide for weight. In the US that use belongs to the Zepbound label; in the EU, Mounjaro itself is authorised for weight management.

In SURMOUNT-1, side effects led 4.3%, 7.1% and 6.2% on tirzepatide 5, 10 and 15 mg to stop treatment, compared with 2.6% on placebo. For how Mounjaro and Ozempic compare, see Ozempic vs Mounjaro.

What happens if you stop

What happens to weight after stopping tirzepatide? SURMOUNT-4 tested this. After 36 weeks of open-label tirzepatide, people had lost 20.9% on average. They were then split into two groups for 52 weeks:

The authors concluded that withdrawing tirzepatide led to substantial regain of lost weight. Your doctor can discuss what this means for you.

Side effects

What side effects are most common? The US Mounjaro label lists these as reported in 5% or more of patients:

How often, from the US Zepbound label. The US Zepbound label, which contains the same molecule, reports these rates in its weight trials of tirzepatide 5, 10 and 15 mg:

The US Zepbound label says most nausea, vomiting and diarrhea happened during dose increases and decreased over time.

Serious warnings

Which warnings matter most? This section names the US label each warning comes from.

From the US Mounjaro label: people taking tirzepatide with insulin or a sulfonylurea may have a higher risk of low blood sugar, including severe low blood sugar.

From the US Zepbound label, which contains the same molecule:

Your doctor checks these points before prescribing.

How to store Mounjaro

How should Mounjaro be kept? For Mounjaro KwikPen, the Philippine package insert (linked from FDA Philippines Verification Portal record DR-XY49504) is shown first. The US label rows follow.

The labels differ on an opened KwikPen: the Philippine insert says to store it unrefrigerated below 30 C, while the US Zepbound label allows the refrigerator or room temperature up to 30 C. The Philippine package insert applies to products registered in the Philippines.

The US Zepbound label also says not to freeze tirzepatide or use it if it has been frozen, to protect it from heat and light, and to keep it in the original carton.

The US FDA advises not using any injectable GLP-1 medicine that arrives warm or without enough refrigeration.

Spotting unregistered or fake tirzepatide

How can you tell a tirzepatide product may not be genuine? FDA Philippines has warned against several unregistered tirzepatide products in 2026. FDA Philippines advisories on unregistered tirzepatide products, such as No. 2026-1309, say these products have no Certificate of Product Registration, so the public has no assurance as to their quality, safety and efficacy, and advise the public against buying or using them.

On Advisory No. 2026-1020, SunStar Philippines reported that FDA Philippines said the product "has not undergone the required registration process" and that its use "may expose them to potential health risks, including possible injury or harm."

Other signals from regulators:

• Check registration. FDA Philippines tells the public to check whether a product is registered on its verification portal or its list of verified unregistered health products. The portal lists Mounjaro KwikPen and Mounjaro as registered (checked October 7, 2026).
• "Research" labels. The US FDA has warned companies that illegally sold unapproved tirzepatide and similar drugs falsely labeled "for research purposes" or "not for human consumption".
• Counterfeits. The US FDA says counterfeit drugs could contain the wrong ingredient, too little, too much or no active ingredient, or other harmful ingredients.
• Warm deliveries. The US FDA advises not using any injectable GLP-1 medicine that arrives warm or without enough refrigeration.

A search of the FDA Philippines website for "Mounjaro" on October 7, 2026 found no advisory naming Mounjaro. This was not a check of every advisory.