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If your pharmacy runs out, or the price jumps

Supply gaps and price changes happen with weight loss medicines. The wrong move is to stretch a pack or skip doses. Here is how to keep your treatment going safely instead, and where to look first.

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The short version

  • Do not stretch a pack or skip doses to bridge a gap. Take the dose you were prescribed.
  • Check whether it is a national shortage or just your pharmacy.
  • You can move to another registered provider, mid-treatment, if you check it is on the register.
  • A change of medicine is a decision for your prescriber, not something to do yourself.

First: do not try to make a pack last

It is tempting to spread out doses or save the last of a pen when supply is tight, but that is the one thing not to do: take the dose you were prescribed. Plan ahead instead. Our supply and run out tool works out when your current pack runs low so you can reorder in good time, and a reorder reminder helps you not get caught short.

Is it a national shortage, or just your pharmacy?

GLP-1 medicines have had national supply problems, and they come and go. Before assuming the worst, check the official position with our medicine shortages tool, which tracks the MHRA and DHSC supply notices. If there is a national shortage, a Serious Shortage Protocol may let a pharmacist supply an alternative strength or quantity without a new prescription. If it is only your pharmacy, moving provider solves it.

Moving to another provider

You are not tied to one pharmacy. You can get your prescription from any registered provider, including mid-treatment. Before you switch, check the new one is on the register, and keep a note of your current dose and your start date so your treatment continues at the right point.

If the price went up

Each pharmacy sets its own price, so they differ, and a rise at one provider does not mean the same everywhere. You can compare what registered providers publish on our published prices page, and read why prices vary. Do not choose on price alone, though: a figure far below the rest is a reason to check the seller, not a bargain.

If you might need to change medicine

Switching from one medicine to another, for example Mounjaro to Wegovy, is a clinical decision for your prescriber, not something to arrange yourself. If you want to understand the differences before you ask, the Mounjaro vs Wegovy comparison lays out the facts, but the change itself has to go through a prescriber.

Common questions

Can I make a pen last longer to get through a gap?
No. Do not stretch a pack or skip doses to make it last. Take the dose you were prescribed, and sort out continuity instead: check whether it is a national shortage, plan your reorder, or move to another registered provider. If you cannot get your dose in time, ask your prescriber what to do.
Is there a national shortage of Mounjaro or Wegovy?
GLP-1 medicines have had national supply problems before, and these come and go. Check the official medicine supply notices rather than guess. If there is a national shortage, a Serious Shortage Protocol may let a pharmacist supply an alternative without a new prescription.
Can I switch pharmacy in the middle of treatment?
Yes. You can get your prescription from another registered provider. Check the new one is on the register first, and keep a record of your current dose and your start date so your treatment carries on at the right point.
My provider put the price up. What are my options?
Prices are set by each pharmacy, so they differ. You can compare what registered providers publish and move if you want, but do not choose on price alone: check the provider is registered. A change of medicine, rather than provider, is a decision for your prescriber.

Sources

Supply notices and protocols change; check the current position as of 3 November 2026. This is general guidance, not medical advice. If you cannot get your prescribed dose, speak to your prescriber or pharmacist.