Mounjaro® Online Prescription
Tirzepatide (GIP/GLP-1 dual receptor agonist) · Self-pay (not covered by Japanese health insurance)
About Mounjaro®
Mounjaro® (generic: tirzepatide) is a once-weekly subcutaneous injection developed by Eli Lilly. It is a GIP/GLP-1 dual receptor agonist, which means it acts on two key incretin hormone pathways to:
- Suppress appetite via brain satiety centers
- Delay gastric emptying
- Improve insulin response after meals
In Japan, Mounjaro is approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Use for weight reduction in non-diabetic patients is considered off-label and is provided only under appropriate medical judgment as part of self-pay (private) treatment.
Clinical Evidence (from original literature)
The following is referenced from peer-reviewed medical literature, cited by our physician for medical information purposes. Individual results may vary.
SURMOUNT-1 trial (Jastreboff AM, et al. New England Journal of Medicine. 2022;387:205-216):
- Adults with obesity (BMI ≥30) or overweight (BMI ≥27) with weight-related comorbidities, without diabetes
- 72-week trial of weekly tirzepatide vs placebo
- Reported significant body weight reduction in the active treatment group compared to placebo
Original paper: NEJM 2022;387:205-216
⚠️ Side Effects & Safety Information
Mounjaro is a prescription medication with side effects and contraindications. This safety information has equal importance to efficacy data.
Common side effects
- Gastrointestinal: nausea (most common), vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, dyspepsia
- Injection site reactions: redness, swelling, itching
- Other: headache, dizziness, fatigue, decreased appetite
Serious side effects
- Acute pancreatitis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis
- Acute kidney injury (often due to severe vomiting/diarrhea-induced dehydration)
- Hypoglycemia (when combined with diabetes medications)
- Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis, angioedema)
- Thyroid C-cell tumors (observed in rodent studies)
Contraindications
- Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2)
- Hypersensitivity to tirzepatide or any component
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Use with caution
- History of pancreatitis, gallstones, severe gastrointestinal disorders
- Renal impairment, hepatic impairment, heart failure
- Patients on insulin or sulfonylurea (hypoglycemia risk)
📘 PMDA package insert (Japanese): https://www.pmda.go.jp/PmdaSearch/iyakuSearch/
Pricing (Self-Pay)
Prices include tax. Minimum order: 1 box (4 doses). Cool delivery (refrigerated) shipping fee applies (¥1,000–¥2,500 depending on region).
Regulatory information — Mounjaro® (tirzepatide)
- 1. Unapproved medication / off-label use
- Mounjaro® (generic name: tirzepatide) is approved by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Prescribing it for the purpose of obesity treatment is not approved in Japan. When it is used for a therapeutic purpose other than type 2 diabetes, this constitutes off-label use.
- 2. How we obtain this medication
- We purchase domestically approved medications from pharmaceutical wholesalers in Japan.
- 3. Whether an approved equivalent exists in Japan
- Zepbound® (tirzepatide), which contains the same active ingredient as Mounjaro®, is approved in Japan for obesity disease. We also carry Zepbound®, as a self-pay (private) treatment. Whether it is appropriate for you is decided at consultation.
- 4. Safety information from other countries
- An injectable formulation of the same active ingredient is approved as a treatment for obesity disease by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, use for cosmetic, body-slimming or dieting purposes is not approved in other countries either, so serious risks may not have been identified.
- 5. Relief System for Sufferers from Adverse Drug Reactions
- If a serious adverse drug reaction occurs, it is outside the scope of Japan’s national Relief System for Sufferers from Adverse Drug Reactions (operated by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, PMDA). Medications provided as self-pay (private) treatment fall outside insured medical care and may therefore fall outside this relief system; if an adverse reaction occurs, the relief system cannot be used. We explain adverse reactions and other risks fully in advance and begin treatment only after you have understood and agreed to them.
Clinic-wide note (applies to our self-pay obesity treatment as a whole, not only to this medication). Under Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act, tirzepatide, dapagliflozin and semaglutide are approved for the indication of “diabetes”. Their use for the purpose of obesity treatment as carried out at our clinic is not approved in Japan, and use for a therapeutic purpose other than diabetes constitutes off-label use. Semaglutide subcutaneous injection (product name: Wegovy®) is approved for the indication of obesity disease (Japanese: 肥満症) — limited to patients who have hypertension, dyslipidemia or type 2 diabetes, in whom diet therapy and exercise therapy have not produced a sufficient effect, and who fall under either of the following: a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or above together with two or more obesity-related health disorders, or a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or above. However, our clinic is not a facility that meets the requirements set out in the Guidelines for Optimal Use (MHLW, November 2023). Because self-pay (private) treatment uses medications outside insurance coverage, the cost is borne entirely by the patient and is higher than under insured care.
About your medical history and health check-up results
For Mounjaro, Wegovy, Rybelsus and some other medicines that need careful safety checks, our doctor reviews your medical history before prescribing. We kindly ask you to share it, and if you have recent health check-up results (for example, from an annual check-up in your home country or in Japan), please send a photo when you book. A prescription or medical record from your own doctor also helps.
You do not need to have a new check-up just for this appointment. If you do not have any results with you, please book as usual and tell the doctor at your consultation. Depending on your health, the doctor may need to confirm more information before prescribing some medicines.
Prescription Decision
Mounjaro is a prescription medication. We evaluate each patient individually based on:
- BMI and medical history
- Existing comorbidities and concurrent medications
- Pregnancy status (women of childbearing age)
- Medical necessity vs cosmetic intent
We never prescribe Mounjaro for cosmetic purposes, under any circumstances.
Prescription is not guaranteed by patient request alone. If we determine the medication is not appropriate for your situation, we will recommend alternatives.