Which semaglutide injection brand is licensed for weight loss in the UK?

The myth that any semaglutide injection will do the same job

A widely held assumption is that semaglutide is semaglutide, so the brand on the pen is just packaging. That view is understandable (the active molecule really is identical) but it skips over something that regulators take seriously. A UK marketing authorisation specifies not only the molecule but the indication, the dose range, the formulation, and the population it has been tested in. Wegovy and Ozempic were studied in different trials, at different doses, and licensed for different purposes. Wegovy's dose pathway climbs to 2.4mg weekly (and now to 7.2mg following MHRA approval in early 2026) because the clinical programme supporting weight management was built at those levels. Ozempic's licensed dose range for diabetes sits lower. Using one product to achieve the goal of the other is not supported by the UK regulatory framework, and a responsible prescriber will not treat them as equivalent. The NHS and MHRA are clear: Ozempic is not a licensed weight-loss medicine in the UK. You can read more about how Ozempic differs from the licensed weight-loss options if you want the fuller picture.

The short version: if weight management is the goal, you can explore which semaglutide injection brand name belongs in that conversation and why the distinction matters clinically.

What Wegovy actually is as a brand — the pen, the doses, the titration

Wegovy arrives as a pre-filled, once-weekly subcutaneous injection pen. Treatment opens at a low starting dose (0.25mg) and the prescriber titrates upward roughly every four weeks, passing through 0.5mg, 1.0mg and 1.7mg before reaching the standard maintenance dose of 2.4mg. The MHRA granted approval for a 7.2mg maintenance dose on 14 April 2026, supplied as a dedicated single-dose pen with an auto-dosing mechanism and a covered needle that locks after use. That approval covers adults with a BMI of 30 or above only. The titration schedule and any decisions about dose changes belong entirely to your prescriber, the full guide to the semaglutide injection covers the practical side of the journey in more detail.

Storage follows a refrigerated 2–8°C requirement. There is a limited window during which the pen can be kept at room temperature, but for the exact figure you should rely on the Patient Information Leaflet that comes with your pen rather than any general article. If you are also curious about how to inject semaglutide correctly, our dedicated guide walks through the technique step by step. The MHRA's approval of Wegovy is documented in detail on the NHS semaglutide medicines page, which is a reliable first port of call for side-effect information and practical guidance.

Eligibility: who the Wegovy licence actually covers

The licensed indication for Wegovy is weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 to 29.9 alongside at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes or obstructive sleep apnoea. Lower BMI thresholds apply for some ethnic backgrounds under UK guidance, reflecting the NICE recommendation that the cut-off sits 2.5 kg/m² lower for South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African and African-Caribbean populations. A BMI figure alone does not settle the question; the prescriber considers the whole clinical picture. NICE's appraisal of semaglutide (Technology Appraisal TA875) sets out the recommended criteria for NHS use, which involve a specialist weight management service and a maximum treatment period of two years. Private treatment through a registered pharmacy sits on different footing: the licensed eligibility thresholds apply, and the prescriber makes an individual clinical decision.

If you're weighing up whether Wegovy or tirzepatide (sold as Mounjaro) might be the more suitable option for your situation, and are also wondering whether a semaglutide non-injection format could be relevant to you, our weight-loss overview explains the licensed options side by side without pushing you toward either.

Getting Wegovy through a regulated UK pharmacy

Because Wegovy is a prescription-only medicine, the route to it runs through a prescriber, full stop. Sellers offering a semaglutide injection without a clinical assessment are operating outside the law, and the MHRA has warned repeatedly about fake pens circulating online, some containing entirely different substances. The safest way to check any online pharmacy is to look it up on the GPhC pharmacy register before you commit to anything.

At nume, every consultation is read by a GPhC-registered Independent Prescriber on the same day it arrives. Identity is verified by photo ID, and weight is confirmed on a live video call. There are no subscriptions or auto-renewals; each repeat order is reviewed clinically before it is approved. If you order before midday on a weekday, treatment that is clinically approved that day is dispatched the same afternoon and delivered free by DPD the next working day, plain, unbranded packaging. It is worth knowing that if a bank holiday or payday falls on your usual order day, the 12pm cut-off still applies to the next working day, so there is rarely a gap in treatment. For a full look at what that process involves, our semaglutide injections page walks through each step. When you feel ready to find out whether you are clinically suitable, check your eligibility with our prescribers, the consultation is free.