TeamSwitching research from semaglutide to tirzepatide — what changes?

The three things that actually change: 1. Mechanism. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist; tirzepatide adds GIP agonism. In head-to-head trials (SURPASS-2), tirzepatide outperformed semaglutide on both A1c and weight endpoints, which is why research interest has shifted. 2. Dose conventions. The two aren't mg-for-mg equivalent — semaglutide protocols in the literature run 0.25–2.4mg/week while tirzepatide runs 2.5–15mg/week. Roughly a 5–6x mg difference at comparable stages, so a 10mg tirzepatide vial is NOT "10 weeks more research" than a 10mg semaglutide vial at equivalent points. Titration in published protocols also restarts from the bottom when switching compounds rather than jumping across at the "same" stage. 3. Cost math. This is the surprise: despite the higher mg amounts, tirzepatide research is currently CHEAPER per week at the best prices. Best tirz is ~$1.63/mg (Ascension 30mg, $98 → $49 with PEPTIDEPUB 50%); best sema is ~$4.00/mg (Ascension 5mg, $40 → $20). At literature mid-doses: tirz ~5mg/wk ≈ $8/wk vs sema ~1mg/wk ≈ $4/wk — both cheap, and at the top end tirzepatide's advantage per unit of studied effect is clear. Live tables: peptidepub.com/prices/tirzepatide and /prices/semaglutide. Research use only — this is comparison math, not a protocol.