Wegovy on the EMC: reading the SmPC and patient leaflet

What is the EMC, and why does Wegovy have a page there?

The Electronic Medicines Compendium is the publicly accessible database of authorised medicine information for the UK. Every licensed medicine must have a Summary of Product Characteristics approved by the MHRA (or, for older authorisations, the EMA), and the EMC hosts these alongside the corresponding Patient Information Leaflet. Wegovy (Novo Nordisk's brand of semaglutide 2.4 mg) has its own EMC entry because it holds a distinct UK marketing authorisation for weight management, separate from Ozempic, which is licensed only for type 2 diabetes.

A common misconception is that Ozempic and Wegovy are interchangeable because both contain semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist that underpins both treatments. The EMC makes this distinction plain: the two medicines have different authorised doses, different licensed indications, and different SmPCs. Wegovy's page covers weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above with a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure or dyslipidaemia. Ozempic's page covers blood-glucose control in type 2 diabetes. They are separate products.

The overview of Wegovy on our treatment pages summarises the licensed indications in plain language, though the EMC SmPC is always the authoritative source for prescribers and patients who want the full detail.

What does the Wegovy SmPC tell prescribers that the PIL does not?

The SmPC is written for healthcare professionals. It runs to dozens of pages and covers the pharmacology, clinical-trial results, pharmacokinetics, interactions and the full contraindication and warning list in technical detail. The Wegovy SmPC references the STEP clinical-trial programme: STEP 1, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, reported an average body-weight reduction of around 15% at 68 weeks at the 2.4 mg maintenance dose, compared with placebo, in adults without diabetes. Those results underpin the licensed claim.

Prescribers also use the SmPC to confirm contraindications (personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, known hypersensitivity to semaglutide) and to understand how Wegovy interacts with other medicines, including oral contraceptives. The PIL translates the same information into language intended for patients, with clearer step-by-step injection guidance, the dose escalation schedule covering the Wegovy 0.5 mg starting doses rising through 1.0 and 1.7 mg to the 2.4 mg maintenance dose, and practical storage advice.

For those wondering about the newer strength, the MHRA approved a dedicated single-dose 7.2 mg Wegovy pen on 14 April 2026 for adults with a BMI of 30 or above. A separate SmPC for that pen will appear on the EMC as it is published; the MHRA's announcement on GOV.UK confirms the approval. The titration pathway to 7.2 mg remains a matter for your prescriber, not the EMC entry alone.

How should patients read the PIL from the EMC?

The PIL is the document inside every Wegovy box, and the EMC hosts the same text in a searchable, always-current format. A few sections are worth knowing about before you start treatment. The storage section confirms that Wegovy pens must be kept refrigerated between 2°C and 8°C; after first use, the pen can be stored at room temperature for a limited period, the PIL gives the exact window, which is the figure to follow rather than anything summarised elsewhere. The injection section explains the three licensed sites: abdomen, thigh or upper arm, rotated each week.

The side-effects section of the PIL is extensive. Gastrointestinal effects (nausea, loose stools, constipation, indigestion) are the most commonly reported, particularly after a dose increase, and typically ease within a couple of weeks. The PIL also flags less common but serious effects, including symptoms that could suggest pancreatitis: severe stomach pain that reaches the back, with or without vomiting. The MHRA highlighted acute pancreatitis as a known infrequent but potentially serious risk for GLP-1 medicines in a Drug Safety Update in January 2026. If you experience those symptoms, the PIL is clear: seek medical help promptly rather than waiting for the next injection day.

Our guide to semaglutide on the EMC covers the broader semaglutide prescribing information, which spans both the Wegovy and Ozempic authorisations for context.

Does the EMC entry change how I access Wegovy?

Reading the SmPC or PIL does not give you access to the medicine, that still requires a valid prescription following clinical assessment. The EMC is a reference tool, not an ordering platform. Wegovy remains a prescription-only medicine under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, and the SmPC itself states that treatment should be initiated and supervised by a healthcare professional experienced in the management of obesity.

Knowing what the SmPC says is genuinely useful, though. Patients who have read it tend to have more productive conversations with prescribers: they understand why the dose starts low and escalates gradually, what to watch for, and how to store and use the pen correctly. If you are considering treatment and want to understand whether semaglutide might suit you, our weight-loss treatment overview explains the broader options available, and our clinical team reviews every consultation personally. Specific questions about your medical history, including which Wegovy 1 mg dose stage applies to your titration plan, and questions about other medicines are exactly what the free consultation is there to address, as are questions about the Wegovy 2 mg strength and what it means for your ongoing titration. The EMC will always be there for the technical detail; the prescriber is there for the individual assessment.

If you are ready to take the next step, you can start your free consultation with our GPhC-registered prescribers today.