Wegovy vs Ozempic
Same active ingredient (semaglutide), different products: one licensed for weight loss, one for diabetes. Here’s how they line up.
Updated 30 October 2026
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| Wegovy | Ozempic | |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | semaglutide | semaglutide |
| Drug class | GLP-1 | GLP-1 |
| How often | Once a week | Once a week |
| Licensed in the UK for | Weight management | Type 2 diabetes, not weight loss |
| Not every GLP-1 is licensed for weight loss in the UK. Ozempic is a diabetes medicine. | ||
| Pen | FlexTouch | Ozempic pen |
| Starting dose | 0.25 mg | 0.25 mg |
| Maintenance dose | 2.4 mg (optional 7.2 mg) | 0.5 or 1 mg (up to 2 mg) |
| Highest dose | 7.2 mg | 2 mg |
| Storage once in use | Up to 6 weeks below 30 °C | Up to 6 weeks below 30 °C |
| Average weight loss in trials | about 15% (STEP-1, 68 weeks (2.4 mg)) | No weight-loss trial (licensed for diabetes) |
| Trial figures are averages over the whole study, at the top dose. Real-world results vary. | ||
| NHS availability | Via specialist NHS weight-management services | On NHS for type 2 diabetes, not for weight loss |
Thinking of switching?
There’s no simple dose-for-dose swap between these; they’re different medicines. A switch means starting the new one at its lowest dose and titrating up again, under your prescriber. People’s experience of switching varies a lot, so the GLP-1 communities are worth a read for the lived side.
Facts from the UK SmPCs (Wegovy, Ozempic) and the trials linked above.
This compares the facts; it doesn’t say which is right for you. That’s a decision for you and your prescriber.
Common questions
- Are Wegovy and Ozempic the same?
- They’re the same active ingredient, semaglutide, made by the same company, but different products with different licences and dose ranges. Wegovy is licensed for weight management (up to 2.4 mg, or 7.2 mg); Ozempic is licensed for type 2 diabetes (up to 2 mg).
- Can I use Ozempic for weight loss instead of Wegovy?
- In the UK, Ozempic isn’t licensed for weight loss; Wegovy is the semaglutide for that. Using Ozempic for weight loss would be off-label, which is a decision only a prescriber can make.
- Which is stronger?
- Wegovy goes to a higher dose (2.4 mg, optionally 7.2 mg) than Ozempic (up to 2 mg), and it’s the one studied and licensed for weight loss. They share the same active ingredient.
Related tools
Compare weight-loss injectionsMounjaro, Wegovy, Ozempic and Saxenda side by side.Mounjaro dose scheduleThe licensed step-up with your dates and when to order pens.Wegovy dose scheduleThe 16-week step-up with your dates and when to order pens.
Factual comparison for education, not a recommendation or medical advice. Your prescriber decides what’s right for you.