How high does Wegovy dosage go — and what happens at each step?

The myth: 2.4mg is as high as Wegovy goes

A lot of people researching Wegovy have read that 2.4mg is the top dose. Until recently, that was true, 2.4mg was the licensed maintenance ceiling for weekly semaglutide injections in the UK, and it is still the figure quoted in older articles and forum threads. That information is now out of date.

In January 2026 the MHRA approved 7.2mg as a new higher maintenance option, initially delivered as three separate 2.4mg pens each week. Then, on 14 April 2026, the regulator approved a purpose-built single-dose 7.2mg pen (one injection, once a week) meaning patients no longer need to use multiple devices. If you want to understand what a high dose of Wegovy involves and how the approval process unfolded, the detail is worth reading before assuming 2.4mg is still the ceiling.

This matters practically. Someone who has been on 2.4mg for months, loses less weight than hoped, and assumes they have exhausted Wegovy's options may not realise a higher dose now exists. A conversation with a prescriber about whether the 7.2mg level is appropriate is worth having, the answer depends on your response so far, your tolerability, and your clinical profile overall.

What the full schedule looks like, from first pen to highest dose

The starting dose is 0.25mg. That pen is not intended to drive weight loss; its job is to introduce your system to semaglutide gradually, keeping the nausea and digestive discomfort that commonly accompany the first weeks manageable. You can read more about how Wegovy dosage works at each rung of the schedule if you want the detail behind the titration logic.

After roughly four weeks at 0.25mg, the prescriber typically moves you to 0.5mg, then 1.0mg, then 1.7mg, then 2.4mg, the former maintenance ceiling. Each step requires clinical review. With the updated licence, a further increase to 7.2mg is now available for eligible patients, making six named dose levels in total.

The licensed ceiling for Wegovy in the UK is 7.2mg per week. Worth noting: the 7.2mg pen is approved for adults with a BMI of 30 or above; it is not licensed for the separate cardiovascular-risk indication, and it is not the right starting point for anyone new to the medicine. If you are curious about how many mg Wegovy goes up to across the full titration schedule, that page breaks down each named level clearly. A prescriber sets the pace throughout.

The NHS medicines information for semaglutide gives a reliable overview of the full schedule and what each stage involves.

What the trial evidence says about weight loss at 7.2mg

The question most people really want answered is whether the extra dose actually produces better results. The short answer from the clinical data is yes, meaningfully so.

At 2.4mg, the STEP 1 trial (published in the New England Journal of Medicine) recorded an average 15% body-weight reduction over 68 weeks. At 7.2mg, trial data reported roughly 20.7% average loss over 72 weeks, a difference of around five percentage points that matters clinically for some patients.

That brings 7.2mg semaglutide into closer territory with tirzepatide at its top dose. The two medicines work differently (Wegovy targets one gut-hormone receptor while Mounjaro targets two) so a direct comparison needs care. You can explore the options on our weight loss treatment overview if you are still deciding which might suit your situation.

What the evidence cannot tell you is how much weight you individually will lose. Averages cover a wide spread of responses, and the dose that delivers the best balance of results and tolerability for you is a clinical question. Our prescribers review each case on its own terms, see our clinical team if you want to understand who is making those decisions.

Who can access the 7.2mg dose, and through which route

Privately, the higher dose is available for adults meeting the standard licensed criteria: BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above alongside a weight-related health condition, with no contraindications. A lower BMI threshold of 2.5 kg/m² applies for some ethnic backgrounds under UK clinical guidance. The prescriber assesses your full history before any increase beyond 2.4mg, that clinical gatekeeping is not bureaucracy, it reflects real safety logic.

On the NHS the picture is different. NICE's guidance on semaglutide (TA875) was written before the 7.2mg licence existed, and NHS access remains within specialist weight management services for now. Waiting lists are long at most centres. If you are curious about what Wegovy costs privately, the pricing page sets out the context honestly, including what a legitimate private prescription includes beyond the medicine itself.

If you have already been on Wegovy for some time and want to know whether stepping up to 7.2mg might be appropriate, that is a conversation for a prescriber with your full clinical picture in front of them. Reviewing the Wegovy dosage guidance beforehand can help you go into that conversation with a clearer sense of what to ask and what your options are. You do not need a GP referral to start that conversation through a regulated online pharmacy. Orders placed before 12pm Monday to Friday (worth timing if your supply runs out mid-week or around a bank holiday) are reviewed the same day by a real clinician, not a screening algorithm. Check your eligibility and let our team take it from there.