The different semaglutides: which version does what in the UK?

Why does the same molecule come in three branded products?

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist: it mimics a gut hormone that reduces appetite, slows how quickly the stomach empties and affects blood-sugar regulation. The molecule itself does not change between products. What changes is the dose, the delivery format and, critically, the indication it has been assessed and licensed for by the MHRA.

Ozempic (the injection from Novo Nordisk) was the first version on the UK market and is licensed exclusively for type 2 diabetes management, in weekly subcutaneous doses up to 1 mg. Wegovy followed with a higher dose ceiling specifically studied in people living with obesity, and the licensing data supported a weight-management indication. The oral tablet is the newest: approved in June 2026, it uses an absorption-enhancing technology (called SNAC) to carry semaglutide across the gut wall, something standard formulations cannot do. A common misconception is that Ozempic and Wegovy are interchangeable, they are not, legally or clinically, and a legitimate prescriber will not use one to achieve the other's purpose. That distinction is worth understanding before anything else.

For a practical comparison of how Ozempic and Wegovy differ in practice, the page on how Ozempic differs from Wegovy goes into detail on why that boundary exists and what it means for patients.

How do the Wegovy injection and the Wegovy tablet actually differ?

Both are licensed for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27–29.9 alongside a weight-related health condition. Beyond that, the two formats diverge in several ways.

The injection is administered once weekly, subcutaneously into the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. It follows a titration path from 0.25 mg up to a standard maintenance dose of 2.4 mg, with the option of the 7.2 mg pen (approved by the MHRA in April 2026) for those who tolerate and need a higher ceiling. Efficacy data from the STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed roughly 15% average body-weight reduction over 68 weeks at 2.4 mg.

The tablet is taken once daily, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, with a small amount of plain water and nothing else for at least 30 minutes. It needs to be swallowed whole. The titration schedule runs 1.5 mg to 4 mg to 9 mg and then to a 25 mg maintenance dose, spending at least a month at each level. No refrigeration is needed, a practical advantage for travel. In the OASIS 4 phase-3 trial (307 adults, 64 weeks), average weight loss was approximately 13.6% against placebo; among participants who stayed fully adherent throughout, the figure reached around 17%. The dose numbers look very different between formats because the oral route absorbs a much smaller fraction of the dose.

The dose levels within the Wegovy range are explained in more detail if you want to understand the titration logic further.

Where does liraglutide (Saxenda) fit alongside the different semaglutides?

Liraglutide is a separate GLP-1 medicine, not a form of semaglutide. It is worth mentioning here because people searching across GLP-1 options often encounter both. Saxenda, the weight-management version of liraglutide, is injected daily rather than weekly and has a different clinical evidence base. The page comparing Saxenda and Wegovy covers the practical trade-offs, and the broader piece on how liraglutide differs from semaglutide explains the molecular and pharmacological distinctions.

The short version: liraglutide acts on only the GLP-1 receptor and has a shorter half-life, which is why it requires daily administration. Semaglutide's longer half-life is what makes once-weekly dosing possible for the injection and once-daily dosing practical for the tablet. Which suits an individual depends on health history, preferences and clinical assessment, not on which one a search result recommends first.

Side effects across the semaglutide products share a family resemblance: nausea, loose stools, constipation, reflux and fatigue are the most common, particularly after starting or moving to a higher dose. They tend to settle over time but vary in intensity between individuals. The NHS patient information for semaglutide on NHS.uk lists what to watch for and when to seek urgent help, worth reading whichever format you use.

Which semaglutide product can a UK online pharmacy actually prescribe for weight loss?

The short answer: only the two weight-management-licensed versions, the Wegovy injection and the Wegovy tablet. Ozempic sits outside scope entirely unless a person has type 2 diabetes and is being treated for that condition. There is no grey area here; prescribing a licensed medicine outside its approved indication is a clinical and regulatory matter, not a matter of preference or cost.

If you are weighing up your options, the Wegovy overview page sets out what the injection involves, and if you have already decided to explore treatment, where to get Wegovy in the UK explains the access routes including the private prescription route. A broader look at weight-loss treatments available through nume sets out how the products sit alongside each other.

Cost is a reasonable thing to think about, and a breakdown of how treatment is priced privately is on the treatment page. These are prescription medicines, and any legitimate price includes clinical assessment, not just the medicine itself. The MHRA's guidance on reporting suspect sellers and side effects is relevant if you encounter anyone offering semaglutide without a proper prescription process.

At nume, a GPhC-registered Independent Prescriber reads every consultation personally. If you want to understand which format might be appropriate for you, a free consultation is the right starting point, the prescriber, not this page, is what decides.