Semaglutide examples: the UK medicines that contain it and how they differ

The most common misconception: semaglutide is a single product

Search for semaglutide and you quickly hit a muddle of brand names, dose numbers and use cases. The assumption many people arrive with is that semaglutide is one drug you take one way for one purpose. That isn't accurate, and the distinction matters, particularly if you've been told you might benefit from it for weight loss.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist: it activates receptors involved in appetite regulation and blood-sugar control, slowing how quickly the stomach empties and increasing the sense of fullness. The mechanism is consistent across products, as the NHS medicines page for semaglutide explains clearly. What differs is the approved indication, the dose, and the formulation, and those differences have real consequences for what a prescriber can lawfully supply.

Ozempic, for instance, is semaglutide. It's also one of the most-Googled weight-loss medicines in the UK right now. But it holds a licence for type 2 diabetes, not weight management, and prescribing it off-label for weight loss sits outside current UK guidance. Confusing Ozempic with Wegovy is the single most common misunderstanding our prescribers encounter, worth correcting before anything else.

The four semaglutide examples and what each one is licensed for

Wegovy injection is a once-weekly subcutaneous injection, titrated from 0.25 mg up to a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg (and, following MHRA approval in April 2026, a higher 7.2 mg dose for eligible adults with obesity). It is licensed for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above alongside a weight-related health condition. This is the injection form you can read more about on our Wegovy overview.

Wegovy tablets, approved by the MHRA on 11 June 2026, are the newest example. Taken once daily (first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, with a small amount of plain water, at least 30 minutes before food or other medicines) they escalate from 1.5 mg through 4 mg and 9 mg to a 25 mg maintenance dose. No refrigeration needed; a strip of tablets fits in a bag far more easily than a cold-chain pen. The licence mirrors the injection: weight management for adults with BMI 30 or above, or 27 or above with a relevant comorbidity.

Ozempic is a weekly semaglutide injection at doses up to 2 mg, licensed solely for type 2 diabetes. It is not a weight-loss medicine under its UK licence. Our semaglutide information page covers this distinction in full.

Rybelsus is an oral semaglutide tablet at 3 mg, 7 mg or 14 mg, those strengths are specific to this product and must not be confused with the Wegovy tablet ladder. It is licensed for type 2 diabetes, not weight loss. If you've seen references to a 3 mg or 14 mg semaglutide tablet, that's Rybelsus territory, not a weight-management product.

How the dosing examples compare in practice

The dose ranges across these products look superficially similar on paper but reflect very different clinical goals and absorption profiles. Wegovy injection's 2.4 mg weekly maintenance produced around 15% average body-weight reduction over 68 weeks in the STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. At 7.2 mg, trial data reported approximately 20.7% average reduction over 72 weeks. The tablet's OASIS 4 trial reported around 13.6% average weight loss over 64 weeks, rising to roughly 17% among participants who adhered fully to treatment.

Those numbers come from controlled trials in specific populations; they are averages, not predictions for any individual. A prescriber assesses your starting point, health history, and goals before recommending a formulation or dose. The 0.25 mg starting dose for the injection and the 1.5 mg starting dose for the tablet both exist for the same reason: to let your body adjust, reducing the nausea and digestive discomfort that can accompany the first weeks. If you're curious about the titration process more broadly, our page on the 0.5 mg injection dose and how escalation works gives useful context on that stage of treatment.

Cost is a reasonable question at this point. Private treatment pricing varies by dose and provider; an honest overview of what drives those figures is on our Wegovy cost page, which explains what a legitimate price should include and why the cheapest listing is rarely the right measure for a prescription medicine.

When to be cautious: semaglutide, gastroparesis, and supply-chain safety

A few situations warrant extra care when researching semaglutide examples. First, people with a history of gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying) need a careful prescriber conversation before starting any GLP-1 medicine, because these treatments slow gastric emptying as part of their mechanism. Our Wegovy and gastroparesis page covers what's currently known.

Second, because semaglutide products have become high-profile, they have attracted counterfeit sellers. The MHRA has warned publicly and repeatedly about fake weight-loss pens and vials circulating online, some of which have contained insulin. The only safe route to any semaglutide product is a prescription from a qualified prescriber, dispensed by a pharmacy you can verify on the GPhC register at pharmacyregulation.org. Sellers offering these medicines without a clinical assessment are a red flag regardless of price.

If you'd like to explore whether a semaglutide-based weight-management medicine might be right for you, our clinical team reviews every consultation personally. You can see more about how we work on our about us page, or browse the full range of options on our weight loss treatments overview. When you're ready, start your free consultation and a GPhC-registered prescriber will assess your suitability the same day.