Is Wegovy better than semaglutide — and what's actually the difference?

If Wegovy and semaglutide are the same thing, what is Ozempic?

Ozempic is also a semaglutide injection made by Novo Nordisk, but it is licensed in the UK for type 2 diabetes, not for weight management. The doses are different, the licensed indication is different, and it is not an interchangeable swap. Prescribing Ozempic for weight loss in the UK would be an off-label use, and the MHRA has been clear that GLP-1 medicines should not be used for cosmetic weight loss or outside their licensed indications. If you want to understand the practical and regulatory gap between these two products, our page on how Wegovy differs from Ozempic goes through it in detail. Wegovy (the weight-management formulation at 0.25mg up to 2.4mg, and now up to 7.2mg with the MHRA-approved higher-dose pen) is the one that belongs in a weight-loss conversation. Rybelsus, meanwhile, is oral semaglutide at 3mg, 7mg and 14mg strengths, but again licensed only for type 2 diabetes. The oral semaglutide licensed for weight loss is the Wegovy tablet (1.5mg to 25mg), approved by the MHRA on 11 June 2026, a completely separate product with a separate dosing ladder.

How does injectable Wegovy compare to the new Wegovy tablet on weight loss?

Both deliver semaglutide; the difference is route and absorption. The weekly injection delivers semaglutide subcutaneously at consistent levels. The once-daily tablet uses an absorption enhancer called SNAC and must be taken first thing on an empty stomach, with a small amount of plain water, waiting at least 30 minutes before food or any other medicines. The tablet reached the market later than the injection, it became the first oral GLP-1 licensed in the UK for weight management when the MHRA approved it in June 2026. Trial evidence for the tablet comes from the OASIS 4 study: around 13.6% average body-weight reduction over 64 weeks versus roughly 2.4% on placebo. Among participants who stayed fully adherent, the average rose to about 16.6%. The injection's STEP 1 trial (68 weeks, 2.4mg maintenance dose) showed around 15% average reduction, as reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. A direct head-to-head between the injection and the tablet does not yet exist, so the comparison is indirect. Many patients who already use the 2.4mg injection weekly find the idea of a daily tablet less convenient; others dislike injections and prefer it. The tablet is also room-temperature stable, which some people find useful when travelling. Neither format suits everyone, and which works for you is a clinical conversation, one our prescribers have regularly.

How does Wegovy compare to tirzepatide (Mounjaro) on results?

This is probably the comparison that matters most to people weighing up their options. Tirzepatide is a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist, activating two appetite-regulating pathways where semaglutide activates one. In the SURMOUNT-5 trial (a direct head-to-head published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2025, involving 751 adults with obesity and no diabetes) tirzepatide produced greater average weight loss than semaglutide 2.4mg over 72 weeks. NICE's appraisal of tirzepatide, TA1026, notes that indirect comparisons also favour tirzepatide over semaglutide at standard doses. The 7.2mg Wegovy pen, approved by the MHRA on 14 April 2026, narrows that gap, trials showed around 20.7% average loss at 72 weeks, approaching what the 15mg tirzepatide dose produced in SURMOUNT-1. Side-effect profiles overlap substantially: both classes lead with gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, loose stools, constipation and indigestion being the most common) typically most pronounced at the start of treatment or after a dose step. You can explore how semaglutide fits against liraglutide on our semaglutide vs liraglutide comparison, or look at what the evidence says about medicines that outperform Wegovy for a broader picture.

Which one is right for you, and how does cost factor in?

Neither tirzepatide nor Wegovy is the automatic answer. Eligibility depends on your BMI, your health history, any other medicines you take and a clinical assessment of which formulation is appropriate for you, not a side-by-side results table. The NHS recommends both under separate NICE appraisals, though waiting lists exist and criteria are specific. Privately, the cost of injectable Wegovy has typically sat within a similar range to tirzepatide at equivalent stages of treatment, though pricing shifts as new pen formats and doses arrive. Our Wegovy cost page covers what to expect without surprises. If you're weighing up the broader landscape of newer agents, our look at retatrutide versus semaglutide covers what the pipeline holds. At nume, our prescribers consider your full clinical picture. They're not matching you to a brand, they're deciding which licensed treatment, if any, is the right fit. Check your eligibility and let a real clinician work through the options with you. The NHS England guidance on weight-management injections sets out what the clinical framework looks like on both sides of the access question. If you are using the injectable pen, you will also need to dispose of used needles safely, and our guide to choosing a sharps container for Wegovy explains what to look for and how to get one.