What is Wegovy?
Wegovy is the brand name for semaglutide, a prescription only medicine used for weight management. It is best known as a once weekly injection from a pre-filled pen, and it also comes as a daily tablet. This guide explains what Wegovy is in the UK, how it works, how it differs from Ozempic, who can and cannot take it, and what the evidence says. It informs; it does not replace advice from your prescriber.
Based on the UK Wegovy summary of product characteristics and patient leaflet
We compare medicines. We do not prescribe or sell them
Wegovy at a glance
The short version, before the detail.
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Brand name | Wegovy |
| Generic name | Semaglutide, the name of the active substance |
| Type of medicine | A GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| How it is given | An injection under the skin once a week, or a tablet once a day |
| Licensed uses in the UK | Weight management, and lowering the risk of heart problems in some adults |
| How you get it | Prescription only. A prescriber decides, and a registered pharmacy supplies it |
What is Wegovy used for?
Wegovy has two licences in the UK, meaning two licensed uses. Which one applies depends on why your prescriber is offering it.
Wegovy for weight management
Wegovy weight loss injections, which many people call the Wegovy weight loss jab, are licensed for weight management. It is used with a reduced calorie diet and more physical activity. It is licensed for adults and for some young people aged 12 and over, and it is not a stand alone fix. What is Wegovy weight loss treatment, then? A medicine that works alongside food, activity and support.
Wegovy to lower heart risk
Wegovy is also licensed for cardiovascular risk reduction, meaning it lowers the risk of major heart problems, such as heart attack and stroke, in adults who already have heart or circulation disease and are living with overweight or obesity.
Is Wegovy for diabetes?
What is Wegovy for diabetes? It is not a diabetes treatment. Wegovy is licensed for weight, and Ozempic is the semaglutide brand for type 2 diabetes. A person with type 2 diabetes may still be offered Wegovy for weight, and their diabetes team decides.
How does Wegovy work?
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. In plain words, it copies GLP-1, a hormone your gut releases after you eat, and attaches to the same receptors.
- Fullness. You feel full sooner and for longer.
- Hunger and appetite. The parts of the brain that drive hunger quieten, so you tend to want less food.
- Stomach emptying. Food leaves the stomach more slowly. This is also why stomach side effects are the most common ones.
The medicine does not burn fat by itself. It changes appetite, and that is why it is paired with diet and activity advice. Tirzepatide (the medicine in Mounjaro) copies a second hormone, GIP, as well. Wegovy acts on GLP-1 alone.
Is Wegovy the same as Ozempic?
They contain the same active substance, semaglutide, but they are different products with different licences. Wegovy is the weight management brand. Ozempic is the brand licensed for type 2 diabetes.
| What we compare | Wegovy | Ozempic |
|---|---|---|
| Active substance | Semaglutide | Semaglutide |
| Main licensed use | Weight management, and lowering heart risk in some adults | Type 2 diabetes |
| Pen and strengths | Its own pen and dose steps | A different pen and different strengths |
| Used together | Not recommended with other semaglutide or GLP-1 medicines | Not recommended with Wegovy |
A cheaper “Ozempic for weight loss” offer is not the same product as Wegovy, and a prescriber should decide which one suits you.
What is the Wegovy generic name?
The generic name is semaglutide. This is the name of the medicine itself. Wegovy is the brand name, also called the trade name, chosen by the company that makes it. The same semaglutide is sold under other brand names for other uses.
The Wegovy injection and the Wegovy pill
Wegovy comes in two forms. Your prescriber chooses the one that suits you, and the two are not swapped on your own.
What is the Wegovy injection?
The Wegovy injection is a pre-filled pen. You inject under the skin once a week. A pen holds four weekly doses. Treatment starts on a low dose and steps up to a maintenance dose set by your prescriber.
What is the Wegovy pill?
The Wegovy pill is a tablet of semaglutide taken once a day on an empty stomach, with a little water. It has its own dose steps and rules about timing and food. The patient information leaflet explains them.
Who can take Wegovy in the UK?
The UK licence sets the group that Wegovy can be given to. Your prescriber then decides if it suits you.
| Use | Who it is licensed for | Used together with |
|---|---|---|
| Weight management in adults | A BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 up to 30 with at least one weight related health condition, such as raised blood pressure or raised cholesterol | A reduced calorie diet and more physical activity |
| Weight management in young people | Aged 12 and over with obesity and a body weight above 60kg | The same lifestyle support, under specialist care |
| Lowering heart risk | Adults with established heart or circulation disease and a BMI of 27 or above | Standard care for the heart condition |
Wegovy NHS criteria
Wegovy NHS criteria are narrower than the licence and depend on national guidance and local services. Meeting the BMI figures starts an assessment. It does not guarantee a prescription. Ask your GP what applies where you live.
Who cannot take Wegovy?
The summary of product characteristics gives one clear reason not to use it: an allergy to semaglutide or to any ingredient. Other situations need a prescriber’s view first.
Allergy. Do not use Wegovy if you have had an allergic reaction to semaglutide or any ingredient.
Pregnancy. It should not be used in pregnancy. It should be stopped at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy because it stays in the body for a long time.
Pancreatitis. The summary says to stop if pancreatitis is suspected, and not to restart if it is confirmed. Tell your prescriber if you have ever had it.
Diabetes with eye disease. People with diabetic retinopathy need close monitoring. Say so before you start.
Other GLP-1 medicines. It should not be used with other semaglutide products, including Ozempic, or with another GLP-1 medicine.
What do the Wegovy clinical trials show?
The licence rests on the STEP programme of trials, which studied adults with obesity or overweight, and on a separate trial in adults with heart disease. STEP 1, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, followed adults for 68 weeks. On average they lost about 15 percent of their body weight, with lifestyle support alongside the medicine.
What are the Wegovy benefits?
On average, lower body weight. In adults with heart disease, a lower chance of major heart problems. Those are averages from closely monitored groups. Some people lose more, some lose less, and some stop because of side effects.
How much weight can you lose in a month on Wegovy?
There is no fixed monthly figure. The trials report change over many months, and the dose rises in steps, so the first weeks are the slowest. Your own result depends on your dose, diet, activity and health. Your prescriber reviews progress with you.
Is Wegovy safe?
The MHRA licenses Wegovy because the benefits outweigh the risks for the people it is licensed for. That does not mean it is free of side effects. Most are gastrointestinal, meaning stomach and gut related, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation. A few are rarer and more serious, including pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, dehydration and allergic reaction. The side effects guide shows which is which, and when to get help. You can also report a suspected side effect through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
How do you get Wegovy safely?
Wegovy is prescription only. A prescriber must assess you, and a registered pharmacy must supply it. Fake pens exist, so buy only from a pharmacy you can find on the GPhC register, and never from a social media seller.