Wegovy storage: what the guidance actually says

What the SmPC and NHS guidance establish as the baseline

The Wegovy SmPC (the definitive pharmaceutical reference document, published on the electronic Medicines Compendium) sets out storage of Wegovy clearly: refrigerate at 2°C to 8°C prior to first use. That range is meaningful. Below 2°C the semaglutide solution can freeze; ice crystal formation damages the protein structure and the pen should be discarded if freezing has occurred. Above 8°C on a sustained basis, degradation accelerates, and no visual change will tell you the medicine has been affected.

The NHS reiterates these points in its patient-facing guidance, and they are the starting point for any question about Wegovy storage temperatures. If you have ever worried that a pen felt slightly warmer than expected when it arrived, or wondered whether a night without power to the fridge means you should throw it away, the PIL is the document to consult, and contacting your prescriber or pharmacist is the right move, not guessing.

One practical note many people find reassuring: the fridge door is not the ideal spot. Temperatures near the door fluctuate more than in the main body of the fridge, particularly if it is opened frequently. A middle shelf, away from the chiller panel at the back, is steadier. That is the kind of detail worth knowing before your first pen arrives.

The room-temperature window, and why the exact figure belongs in your leaflet, not here

Once you take a Wegovy pen out of the fridge, the clock starts. The SmPC specifies a defined period during which the pen may be kept at room temperature, up to a maximum of 30°C. Publishing that exact number of days here would be a mistake, and not because we are being cagey, it is because the figure for the Wegovy pen before use is specific to the product formulation and subject to regulatory update. A figure copied from a forum or an old article might no longer match the approved PIL in your pack.

The practical rule: read the storage section of your PIL before your first injection. Note the out-of-fridge deadline, and if you are planning travel, check whether you will exceed it. For most short trips within the UK, the window is workable, but longer journeys or hot environments require more planning. There is more detail on managing this in our guide to semaglutide injection storage, which covers travelling with the pen and what to do if your cold chain is interrupted.

If the out-of-fridge window has passed, the pen should not be used. The semaglutide inside may be degraded even if the liquid looks unchanged. Contact your prescriber; do not inject on the assumption that it is probably fine.

Light, moisture and other hazards the instructions mention less prominently

Refrigeration gets most of the attention, but the SmPC also specifies protecting Wegovy from light. The pen's outer cap helps, but leaving it on a sunny windowsill or in a car on a warm day compounds the temperature problem with direct UV exposure. Neither does a pen any favours.

Moisture is a lesser concern with pre-filled pens than with some other formats, but storing the pen in a damp environment (a bathroom cabinet near the shower, for instance) is not recommended. A bedroom drawer or a dedicated cool bag with an ice pack kept below 30°C is a more sensible travel solution than a bag left in a warm car.

Injection site hygiene is a related consideration: always clean the site before injecting. Our alcohol swabs are available if you need them. And if you are weighing up where on the body to inject, our guide to the best place to inject Wegovy covers the licensed sites and the rotation advice from clinical guidance.

After the injection: needles, disposal and what happens to the used pen

Remove the needle from the pen immediately after each injection. Leaving a needle attached risks air entering the cartridge and liquid leaking, both of which affect subsequent doses. It also creates an unnecessary sharps hazard. Used needles go into a sharps container; your local pharmacy can advise on collection schemes in your area.

The used pen itself (once all four weekly doses have been administered from a single Kwikpen) should be disposed of in line with local waste guidance. Never place a pen in standard household recycling. Your pharmacist can advise on disposal.

If you are considering Wegovy for weight management and want to understand the cost of private treatment in the UK, our Wegovy price comparison page sets out what the private market looks like honestly. And for a fuller picture of the treatment itself (how it works, what to expect, and the licensed eligibility criteria) the Wegovy overview is the place to start.

Wegovy is a prescription-only medicine. Storage guidance applies once a prescriber has assessed you as clinically suitable. If you have questions about a pen you have already been dispensed, your prescriber or the nume support team is available seven days a week.