Which conditions qualify for Wegovy on a private prescription?

Step 1: understand the two routes into eligibility

The licence for Wegovy sets out two broad starting points. The first is straightforward: a BMI of 30 or above qualifies you to be considered, regardless of whether you have any other diagnosed condition. The second route applies if your BMI sits between 27 and 29.9, in that case, at least one weight-related health condition must be present for treatment to be appropriate.

The conditions recognised in the UK licence include type 2 diabetes, raised blood pressure (hypertension), dyslipidaemia (high cholesterol or triglycerides), obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, and osteoarthritis. These aren't an exhaustive list written in stone, the prescriber considers the whole picture. Whether Wegovy is right for you depends on how your health history, medications and circumstances are assessed together, not a simple tick-box check.

It's also worth knowing that ethnic background can shift the numbers. For people from South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds, UK guidance generally applies BMI thresholds that are 2.5 kg/m² lower, so a BMI of 27.5 rather than 30 may be sufficient. If you want to understand which BMI figures qualify you for Wegovy before booking a consultation, that's explained in more detail alongside the ethnic background adjustments. What BMI qualifies for Wegovy is also covered separately if you'd like a straightforward reference for where the thresholds sit. The BMI thresholds for Wegovy are explained in more detail if you want to check where you stand before a consultation.

Step 2: understand the difference between NHS and private eligibility

Eligibility works differently depending on whether you're accessing treatment through the NHS or privately. On the NHS, NICE's appraisal of semaglutide (TA875) recommends Wegovy only within a specialist weight management service, for a maximum of two years, and generally for adults with a BMI of 35 or above plus at least one weight-related comorbidity. Waiting lists for those services are commonly long, and the criteria are strict.

Private eligibility follows the medicine's licensed criteria (a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 to 29.9 with a qualifying condition) assessed by a prescriber who reviews your full consultation. There's no waiting list and no referral required. This is the route that online pharmacies like ours operate under: every application is reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber before anything is approved or dispensed. You can read about how Wegovy works as a treatment to get a fuller sense of what the process involves.

One honest note: having a qualifying BMI and a listed condition does not guarantee that a prescriber will approve treatment. Certain medical histories (including a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, MEN2 syndrome, or a history of pancreatitis) require careful review. The consultation exists precisely to work through those details.

Step 3: know what the clinical review actually looks at

When you complete a consultation for Wegovy, the prescriber isn't only checking that you meet the BMI and condition criteria. They're reviewing your current medications (some interact with semaglutide), your medical history, any recent blood results or diagnoses, and whether any contraindications apply.

Women of childbearing age should know that Wegovy is not recommended during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, or when actively trying to conceive. Under-18s are not covered by the licence. These aren't bureaucratic hurdles, they reflect genuine clinical safety considerations that a prescriber is trained to work through with you.

For anyone transferring from another provider or requesting a dose above the starting level, evidence of current treatment is also required as part of the review. Our FAQs cover some of the common questions about this process if you want to read ahead. The clinical team profile on our prescribers page gives more context on who carries out these reviews.

Step 4: think about what happens if you're on the borderline

If your BMI is close to the thresholds, or your qualifying condition is mild or recently diagnosed, the answer isn't always obvious from a list. Borderline cases are exactly why the consultation matters. A prescriber can weigh up factors that a checklist cannot, how long a condition has been present, how well it's controlled, what other treatments you've tried, and what a realistic clinical picture looks like.

Cost is sometimes part of that consideration too. Private Wegovy treatment involves an ongoing monthly cost, and understanding the full picture upfront is sensible. Wegovy pricing in the UK is set out clearly so you can plan before you start. The NHS's patient information on semaglutide is also a useful reference for understanding how the medicine works in practice, independent of who prescribes it.

If you're weighing up Wegovy against other treatment options, our weight loss treatment overview sets out what's currently licensed in the UK and how each option compares at a high level. When you're ready to take the next step, speaking to our prescribers through a free consultation is the place to start, same-day clinical review, no waiting list, no subscription.