What conditions does Wegovy treat — and could it be right for you?

What health conditions does Wegovy's weight-management licence cover?

The core licence covers adults with a BMI at or above 30, as well as those with a BMI between 27 and 29.9 who also carry at least one weight-related condition. The conditions that count include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia (raised blood fats), obstructive sleep apnoea and cardiovascular disease. Lower BMI thresholds apply for some ethnic backgrounds under UK guidance, typically around 2.5 kg/m² lower, so the numbers above are not the whole story for every patient.

It is worth understanding what 'weight management' means within the licence. Wegovy is not a standalone treatment, it is approved alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. The medicine works by activating GLP-1 receptors involved in appetite regulation and the rate at which the stomach empties; the result for many people is a substantially reduced urge to eat. The STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, reported an average body-weight reduction of around 15% over 68 weeks at the 2.4mg weekly dose. That figure sits in a real context: participants also made lifestyle changes, and results varied between individuals.

For a fuller look at how the treatment itself is structured (doses, timing, what a typical programme looks like) the Wegovy treatment overview covers that ground in detail.

Does Wegovy treat cardiovascular disease, and what changed in 2026?

Yes, and this is where Wegovy's clinical story became considerably broader. The medicine holds a separate UK authorisation for reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular death) in adults with obesity or overweight who already have established cardiovascular disease. This is a distinct indication from weight management and reflects trial evidence that semaglutide can reduce cardiovascular risk independently of weight loss alone.

Then came the July 2026 development. The MHRA granted conditional approval for Wegovy to treat MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis) in adults with moderate-to-advanced liver fibrosis. MASH is a progressive form of fatty liver disease linked to obesity and metabolic dysfunction, and until recently had no licensed pharmacological treatment in the UK. The MHRA announcement on 3 July 2026 confirmed the conditional approval, marking a meaningful shift in what this medicine is authorised to do. That said, the indication is conditional, meaning ongoing data requirements apply.

It is important to note that at nume, prescribing is for weight management. Patients seeking cardiovascular or liver-disease treatment should discuss their specific clinical needs with their own doctor.

Who does NICE say should access Wegovy on the NHS?

NICE recommended semaglutide for NHS use under technology appraisal TA875, but with conditions that differ significantly from the private licensing criteria above. On the NHS, Wegovy is recommended for adults with a BMI of 35 or above (or 30 to 34.9 in certain cases where specialist referral criteria are met) and at least one weight-related comorbidity, and only when prescribed within a specialist weight management service offering multidisciplinary support. The NICE recommendation also sets a two-year maximum treatment duration for the NHS pathway.

Those are strict conditions. Many people who are eligible under the medicine's private licence (and who could benefit clinically) do not currently qualify for the NHS route, or face long waiting lists through specialist services. That gap is part of why regulated private services exist. If you are wondering where the costs sit, the Wegovy cost breakdown explains what a legitimate private prescription typically includes.

For people with a BMI below 35, or those who do not want to wait, a private consultation is the most direct route. The consultation itself assesses your full medical history, not just your BMI, which is as it should be for a prescription-only medicine.

What Wegovy does not treat, and why that distinction matters

Wegovy is not licensed for type 2 diabetes. That bears repeating clearly because the active ingredient, semaglutide, is also sold as Ozempic (for diabetes) and Rybelsus (oral semaglutide, also for diabetes). These are not the same product for the same purpose; using a diabetes medicine for weight loss, or vice versa, falls outside licensed use and outside what any regulated prescriber should sanction.

Wegovy is also not licensed for use in under-18s, during pregnancy, while breastfeeding, or for anyone trying to conceive. These exclusions are not technicalities, they reflect the absence of safety data for those groups, and the MHRA's position is clear.

Diet plays a real role in how well treatment works, and our guide on what to eat when on Wegovy is practical knowledge worth having before you start, as is the paired page on foods that can make side effects worse.

If you think Wegovy might be appropriate for your situation, our overview of the conditions Wegovy is used to treat can help you assess whether your circumstances align with the licensed indications before you book. The free consultation at nume is reviewed the same day by a GPhC-registered Independent Prescriber, a real clinician, not an automated queue. Orders placed before midday on a working day, once approved, go out the same afternoon.