Semaglutide EMC listing: what the official product information covers

How official approval shapes the EMC entry for semaglutide

The EMC entry for a medicine is only as current as its most recent MHRA authorisation. For semaglutide used in weight management, that picture has changed significantly in a short space of time. Wegovy's subcutaneous injection received its UK licence first; then, on 11 June 2026, the MHRA approved an oral formulation (Wegovy tablets) making it the first oral GLP-1 medicine licensed in the UK for weight management. The MHRA was also the authority behind the approval of a dedicated single-dose 7.2mg injection pen in April 2026, extending the maximum maintenance dose for the injection beyond the original 2.4mg. Each of these changes generates an updated or new SmPC on the EMC, which is why the date shown at the top of any SmPC matters: an older cached version may not reflect the current licensed schedule.

The core sections you will find in the Wegovy SmPC on the EMC include the therapeutic indication (weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above alongside a weight-related health condition), the posology setting out the titration steps, a contraindications list, warnings and precautions, drug interactions, and pharmacokinetic data. The PIL, also hosted on the EMC, translates most of that into patient-facing language, it is the same document that comes inside the box.

For semaglutide specifically, the MHRA's SmPC process also reflects post-marketing safety signals: the January 2026 Drug Safety Update on pancreatitis across GLP-1 medicines, for example, fed into prescribing guidance, and the EMC entries are updated accordingly. That is why reading the current version, rather than a summary on a third-party site, is always worthwhile.

What the EMC's Wegovy listing says about dosing and the titration schedule

The EMC SmPC does not tell you what dose to take. It tells your prescriber what the licensed schedule looks like and what the clinical rationale is. For the Wegovy injection, the schedule described begins at 0.25mg once weekly, stepping through 0.5mg, 1.0mg as the next titration stage, and 1.7mg, with 2.4mg as the maintenance dose, each step separated by roughly four weeks to allow tolerance to develop. The extended 7.2mg pathway, approved in early 2026, adds a further titration stage and is available to adults with a BMI of 30 or above.

For the Wegovy tablet approved in June 2026, the schedule is entirely different: it begins at 1.5mg daily and escalates through 4mg and 9mg to a 25mg maintenance dose, with a minimum of one month at each level. The tablet must be taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, with a small amount of plain water, waiting at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking anything else, or taking other oral medicines. The SmPC specifies this window precisely because the absorption mechanism (which involves an enhancer called SNAC) is sensitive to food and other substances.

One practical point the EMC entry addresses that patients often ask about: storage. The injection requires refrigeration; the tablet does not. The exact room-temperature window for the injection, and the conditions under which a pen remains usable after removal from the fridge, are stated in the SmPC and PIL. Those details are not reproduced here because they are prescriber and leaflet territory, the PIL in your pack, or the version on the EMC, is where to look. You can also read more about how semaglutide works as a weight-loss medicine.

Eligibility criteria in the SmPC, and how they translate to clinical practice

The EMC listing's indication section defines who the medicine is licensed for. For Wegovy, that is adults with an initial BMI of 30 kg/m² or above, or adults with a BMI of 27 to 29.9 alongside at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, or type 2 diabetes. The licence covers use alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity; the SmPC frames it as an adjunct to lifestyle changes, not a standalone intervention.

NICE's appraisal of semaglutide for weight management, TA875, adds a further layer that the SmPC alone does not cover: for NHS use, NICE recommends it only within a specialist weight management service, for a maximum of two years, and with multidisciplinary support. That is a commissioning restriction layered on top of the licensed indication, the SmPC does not say two years; NICE does, for the NHS pathway. Private prescribers follow the SmPC indication, which is why the NHS and private eligibility landscapes differ. If you want to understand what might apply to you, a free consultation with our prescribers is the practical next step; BMI alone does not determine suitability, and the prescriber reviews the whole picture.

The SmPC also addresses specific populations: it confirms the medicine is not recommended during pregnancy, whilst breastfeeding, or for people trying to conceive. It is not licensed for anyone under 18. History of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 are contraindications. These are the kinds of clinical factors our prescribers work through before any treatment is issued. You can read a broader overview of Wegovy as a weight-loss treatment for more context on how those factors are weighed.

Side effects, safety updates, and the EMC's role in ongoing monitoring

The side-effect sections of the Wegovy SmPC reflect data gathered across the STEP clinical trial programme, which enrolled thousands of adults in randomised controlled trials. The STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, is one of the primary datasets behind the approved indication and the frequency tables in the SmPC. Gastrointestinal effects (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation) are the most commonly reported, rated as very common (affecting more than one in ten people). They are typically most noticeable after starting or after a dose step, and many people find they settle over days to weeks.

If you are reading the EMC because you have a symptom you are worried about, the side-effect and warnings sections of the PIL are the right reference. Pancreatitis is listed as an uncommon but potentially serious risk, and our guidance on semaglutide overdose and serious adverse effects covers what to do if you are concerned about a reaction. Severe and persistent stomach pain, especially if it radiates to the back, needs urgent medical attention. That is not a reason to avoid treatment; it is the kind of information the SmPC exists to make transparent. Report any suspected side effect through Yellow Card.

It is worth being honest about why many people land on the EMC: they want to feel certain about what they are taking, and it can feel unsettling to rely on a leaflet alone. Reading the SmPC alongside that leaflet is reasonable, and our page covering the semaglutide 2mg dose offers further detail on that part of the titration schedule. Our clinical team, described on the clinical team page, reviews every consultation personally, so any question about the official prescribing information that affects your decision is one a real prescriber can answer. You can also find answers to common questions on our FAQs page.