Wegovy: what it is, what it does, and what you should know

The biggest misconception: Wegovy and Ozempic are not the same thing

Ask most people what Wegovy is and they'll say it's the same as Ozempic. The confusion is understandable, both contain semaglutide, both are made by Novo Nordisk, and both are injected once a week. But the products are licensed for different purposes, carry different dose ranges, and are prescribed through different clinical pathways.

Ozempic is licensed for type 2 diabetes management. Its highest dose is 2mg. Wegovy is licensed specifically for weight management, and its standard maintenance dose is 2.4mg, higher, and on a longer titration ladder, because the weight-management indication requires a different therapeutic profile. The medicine inside Wegovy is the same molecule, but that does not make the two products interchangeable under UK law or clinically equivalent for each purpose. The MHRA regulates them as separate products with separate authorisations.

This distinction matters practically: a GP prescribing Ozempic for diabetes is following one set of guidelines; a prescriber recommending Wegovy for weight management is working to another. Neither can simply substitute the other. If you've been told to ask your doctor for "the diabetes jab" to lose weight, that's the wrong route, and it contributes to genuine shortages for people with diabetes who need the medicine.

What Wegovy actually does in the body

Semaglutide mimics glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a hormone your gut releases after eating. GLP-1 signals to the brain that you've had enough food, slows the rate at which the stomach empties, and reduces the drive to keep eating. Wegovy amplifies that signal, and keeps amplifying it, because the injection lasts a full seven days.

The practical effect for most people is a meaningful reduction in appetite and, over time, a shift in the relationship with food. Portions that felt normal start to feel like too much. The urge to snack between meals fades. It isn't willpower; it is pharmacology acting on the same pathways that regulate hunger in everyone. The full composition of a Wegovy pen includes an absorption-stabilising carrier alongside the semaglutide itself.

In the STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, adults taking semaglutide 2.4mg alongside lifestyle changes lost an average of around 15% of body weight over 68 weeks, compared with just under 3% for those on placebo. That's a meaningful clinical result, not cosmetic, not quick. The medicine is assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and recommended for use within specialist weight management services, subject to eligibility criteria.

Who Wegovy is actually licensed for, and where the dose goes

The UK licence covers adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27–29.9 alongside at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or obstructive sleep apnoea. Lower BMI thresholds apply for some ethnic backgrounds under UK guidance. BMI alone isn't the whole picture, a prescriber weighs up your medical history, any contraindications, and your suitability for the titration schedule before recommending treatment.

That schedule starts at 0.25mg and steps up roughly every four weeks: 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1.0mg, 1.7mg, reaching 2.4mg as the standard maintenance dose. In January 2026 the MHRA approved a higher 7.2mg maintenance option, initially supplied as multiple 2.4mg pens weekly, with a dedicated single-dose 7.2mg pen approved in April 2026 for adults with a BMI of 30 or above. Keep the pen in the fridge door until injection day, the usual storage window is 2–8°C, though the Patient Information Leaflet sets out the exact room-temperature allowance.

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and trying to conceive are all situations where Wegovy is not recommended. It is not licensed for anyone under 18. For context on what living with the treatment looks like day to day, this page covers the practical experience of being on Wegovy. The full overview of Wegovy at nume pulls together eligibility, the assessment process, and how private treatment works.

Cost, access and the role of clinical oversight

Wegovy is available on the NHS through specialist weight management services under NICE's guidance, though waiting lists are long in many areas and the eligibility bar is high. Private prescribing is the other route, faster, and accessible to people who meet the licensed criteria even if they don't meet the NHS-specific thresholds. Either way, a prescriber's assessment comes first. That's not a formality; it's what makes the supply legal and the treatment safe.

If you're thinking about costs, a practical breakdown of Wegovy pricing in the UK sets out what private treatment typically involves and what the all-in price should cover. At nume, the price includes the consultation, the prescription, and next-working-day delivery, there are no add-on fees and no subscription. A real clinician reviews your case the same day, not software parsing a form.

Wegovy is a prescription medicine for a clinical purpose. The right time to start thinking about whether it's suitable for you is in a conversation with a qualified prescriber, not a shopping cart. Speak to our prescribers to find out whether Wegovy fits your situation.