The semaglutide list: every UK form, dose and licensed use explained

Step 1: understand that semaglutide is one molecule sold under three different brand names for different clinical purposes

The cleanest way to approach this topic is to treat semaglutide as a raw ingredient, and the brand names as the finished products built from it. All three UK products activate the same GLP-1 receptor, slowing gastric emptying and reducing appetite, but the formulation, dosing schedule and licensed indication differ for each, and you can see how they sit alongside one another on the semaglutide drugs list.

Ozempic (Novo Nordisk, subcutaneous injection) is licensed in the UK for type 2 diabetes. Its doses (0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg weekly) are calibrated around blood-glucose control rather than weight. It is not authorised by the MHRA for weight management, and a prescriber issuing it for that purpose would be working outside its licence. The NHS semaglutide medicines page covers both Ozempic and Wegovy and is worth reading to see how the NHS distinguishes them.

Rybelsus (Novo Nordisk, oral tablet) is also licensed for type 2 diabetes, doses of 3 mg, 7 mg and 14 mg daily. This is a point of confusion that catches people out: these tablet strengths exist on a diabetes dose ladder, not a weight-loss one. Rybelsus is not a cheaper or oral alternative to Wegovy for weight management; it is a different licensed product. Anyone describing 3 mg, 7 mg or 14 mg semaglutide tablets as a weight-loss schedule is conflating two separate authorisations.

Wegovy (Novo Nordisk) is the semaglutide product licensed for weight management in adults, and it comes in two distinct formats, covered in the steps below.

Step 2: map the Wegovy injection dose ladder and the evidence behind it

The Wegovy subcutaneous injection follows a gradual escalation: 0.25 mg, then 0.5 mg, then 1.0 mg, then 1.7 mg, reaching 2.4 mg as the standard maintenance dose, each step taken roughly four weeks apart under prescriber guidance. Most people will recognise this version; it was the first Wegovy formulation to reach the UK market.

A higher dose was subsequently approved. The MHRA authorised a 7.2 mg maintenance dose, initially delivered as three 2.4 mg pens weekly, and on 14 April 2026 approved a dedicated single-dose 7.2 mg pen, one pre-set weekly injection with a built-in covered needle that locks after use. That pen is licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above. The starting dose remains 0.25 mg; the 7.2 mg level is the ceiling, reached only by following the full titration sequence under clinical supervision.

The trial evidence for the injection is substantial. The STEP 1 study (a 68-week randomised trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine) recorded an average body-weight reduction of around 15% at 2.4 mg weekly alongside lifestyle changes. Trials of the 7.2 mg dose have reported average losses approaching 20.7% over 72 weeks, narrowing the gap with tirzepatide. If you want to read more about Wegovy as a treatment, that page covers the mechanism and eligibility criteria in full.

If you're weighing up the cost side of this alongside the clinical picture, the Wegovy cost page sets out what private treatment typically involves and what legitimate pricing actually includes.

Step 3: locate the oral Wegovy tablet (the newest addition to the semaglutide list

On 11 June 2026 the MHRA approved Wegovy tablets as the first oral GLP-1 medicine licensed in the UK for weight management) the UK was the first country in Europe to grant that authorisation. This is a significant addition to the semaglutide list because it opens up the option of a once-daily tablet rather than a weekly injection for people who are eligible.

The tablet's dose ladder is entirely separate from both the injection schedule and the Rybelsus diabetes schedule. It runs 1.5 mg, then 4 mg, then 9 mg, reaching a maintenance dose of 25 mg daily, at least one month at each level. People already stable on the 2.4 mg weekly injection may move to the 25 mg tablet, but only with clinical assessment. No refrigeration is needed; the tablet is stored at room temperature, which makes it straightforward for travel.

How it's taken matters for absorption: first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, with a small amount of plain water. The guidance is to wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking anything other than that small sip, or taking other oral medicines. In the OASIS 4 phase 3 trial (64 weeks, 307 adults with obesity or overweight without diabetes), the average weight reduction was around 13.6% compared with approximately 2.4% on placebo. Among participants who stayed fully adherent to the treatment schedule, the average reached around 16.6%. You can read more about how the tablet compares and what the process looks like on the semaglutide overview page.

One practical note: if you are planning to order and want same-day dispatch, the 12pm cut-off applies Monday to Friday. If you want a head start on what you will need once your treatment begins, the Wegovy shopping list covers the practical items worth having ready before your first pen or tablet arrives. Public holidays and bank holiday weekends are worth factoring in when timing your first or repeat order, a Thursday afternoon order, for example, will dispatch the next working day rather than the same day.

Step 4: check what UK clinical guidance says about eligibility across these products

Knowing the semaglutide list is only useful alongside knowing who each product is actually intended for. For the Wegovy injection, NICE's appraisal (TA875) recommends it for adults with a BMI of 35 or above with at least one weight-related comorbidity, used for a maximum of two years within a specialist weight management service. Lower BMI thresholds apply for certain ethnic backgrounds under UK guidance. NHS access through specialist services is available but typically involves a waiting list.

For the Wegovy tablet, NICE has not yet issued an appraisal; at the time of writing it is available privately only. Its licence covers adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 to 29.9 with at least one weight-related condition. If you are considering the private route, the consultation page explains how eligibility is assessed and what the process involves.

Across all of these options, BMI is a starting point rather than the whole picture. A prescriber will want to understand your medical history, current medicines, and whether there are any conditions that would make a particular product unsuitable. The NICE TA875 appraisal of semaglutide sets out the criteria used by NHS specialists in detail. For a broader look at what weight-loss treatment involves, including how people typically progress through treatment over time, the Wegovy journey page walks through what to expect at each stage alongside the weight-loss treatment overview, which covers the landscape across both injections and tablets.