What is Wegovy?

Wegovy is a weekly weight loss injection available in the UK. Its active ingredient is semaglutide, the same molecule used in Ozempic (licensed for type 2 diabetes) and the Wegovy pill, though each is licensed for a different use or delivered in a different form.
Wegovy is licensed in the UK by the MHRA for chronic weight management in adults who meet specific BMI and health criteria. It is made by Novo Nordisk, the same company that developed Ozempic.
It is a once-weekly injection administered using a pre-filled pen. Most people inject into the stomach, thigh or upper arm. Wegovy is titrated gradually over 16 to 20 weeks, starting at 0.25mg and rising through 0.5mg, 1mg and 1.7mg before reaching the standard 2.4mg maintenance dose, with a higher 7.2mg dose now also available for patients who have already reached and tolerated 2.4mg.

How does semaglutide work?

Your gut produces a hormone called GLP-1 every time you eat. It tells your brain you are full, slows down how quickly your stomach empties, and helps regulate blood sugar.
Semaglutide mimics this hormone, activating the same GLP-1 receptor pathway the body uses naturally. Unlike Mounjaro, which targets two hormone receptors, GLP-1 and GIP, Wegovy works on GLP-1 alone, making it what researchers call a single agonist rather than a dual agonist.
The practical effect is a significant reduction in appetite and food noise. Most people find they feel full faster, think about food less, and experience fewer cravings, particularly for high-calorie food.
For comparison, Mounjaro’s dual action on both GLP-1 and GIP is the primary reason it has historically produced slightly greater average weight loss than standard-dose Wegovy in head-to-head trial comparisons, though the gap has narrowed significantly since the higher 7.2mg Wegovy dose was approved in January 2026.

Wegovy vs Mounjaro vs Ozempic – the honest comparison

Ozempic contains semaglutide at doses up to 1mg. According to the MHRA, it is licensed in the UK for type 2 diabetes only, not for weight loss. Some doctors prescribe it off-label for weight management, but this is technically outside its licensed indication. In clinical trials, Ozempic produced average weight loss of around 12 to 15 percent of body weight.
Wegovy at its standard 2.4mg dose produced average weight loss of around 14.9 percent in the STEP 1 trial over 68 weeks. The new 7.2mg dose, approved by the MHRA in January 2026, produced average weight loss of around 20.7 percent in the STEP UP trial over 72 weeks, narrowing the gap with Mounjaro considerably.
Mounjaro at its highest dose of 15mg produced average weight loss of around 20 to 22 percent in the SURMOUNT trials.
The honest summary: Mounjaro and high-dose Wegovy now produce broadly comparable average results. Mounjaro has the longer track record at its top dose, while Wegovy’s 7.2mg dose is newer to the UK market. For most patients, both are legitimate options, and the choice often comes down to availability, cost, prior tolerance and individual response. For the fuller picture, including quality of life, dropout rates and long-term outcomes, see our weight loss jabs and pills compared guide, based on a major 2026 BMJ analysis.

What did the STEP trials actually show?

The STEP programme was the series of Phase 3 clinical trials that established Wegovy’s effectiveness for weight management. The most relevant for UK patients is STEP 1, which evaluated the standard 2.4mg dose.
In STEP 1, participants taking semaglutide 2.4mg lost an average of 14.9 percent of their body weight over 68 weeks, compared with around 2.4 percent on placebo. Around 70 percent of participants lost at least 10 percent of their body weight, and around a third lost at least 20 percent.
The newer STEP UP trial, published in late 2025 and underpinning the January 2026 MHRA approval of the 7.2mg dose, found that participants who moved from 2.4mg to 7.2mg lost an average of 20.7 percent of their body weight over 72 weeks, with around a third of participants losing 25 percent or more, a threshold previously associated mainly with bariatric surgery and Mounjaro’s highest dose.
Both trials combined medication with diet and lifestyle support, which is how Wegovy is designed to be used. Real-world outcomes vary, and most UK patients and clinicians report meaningful weight loss in everyday practice, though results depend on starting weight, diet, activity, dose and individual response.

Side effects – the full honest picture

Wegovy’s side effects are real and worth understanding before you start. The most commonly reported are gastrointestinal, affecting the stomach and digestive system.
According to clinical trial and NHS data, the most frequently reported side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation, affecting more than 1 in 10 people. These are most common during the early weeks of treatment and after each dose increase, and for most people they are manageable and improve as the body adjusts.
Practical tips that help: inject in the evening so any nausea occurs overnight, eat smaller portions, avoid rich or greasy food particularly in the first few weeks, and eat slowly, stopping as soon as you feel full.
A minority of people stop treatment because of side effects they cannot tolerate. If that happens, it does not mean no treatment is right for you, Mounjaro uses a different drug and some people tolerate one better than the other.
More serious but rarer side effects include pancreatitis. As with all GLP-1 and dual GLP-1/GIP medications, the MHRA strengthened safety warnings in January 2026 following post-marketing reports of rare but serious pancreatitis cases. Severe abdominal pain that does not pass is a medical emergency.
Wegovy is not recommended for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2). If Wegovy causes dizziness or fatigue and you drive, UK law may require you to inform the DVLA, failing to declare a medication that impairs your driving can result in a fine of up to £1,000.

How to get Wegovy on the NHS

NHS access to Wegovy is available but remains tightly restricted by eligibility and capacity.
According to NICE technology appraisal TA875, the standard criteria require a BMI of 35 or above with at least one weight-related health condition, or in some cases a BMI of 30 to 34.9. Treatment must be prescribed within a specialist Tier 3 weight management service rather than by a GP directly, and is capped at two years.
In 2026, NICE published expanded guidance recommending semaglutide for adults with existing cardiovascular disease and a BMI of 27 or above, based on the SELECT trial, which found semaglutide reduced the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death by around a fifth in this group. Around 1.2 million people in England could become newly eligible under this guidance.
In practice, NHS access varies significantly by area, since each Integrated Care Board decides how to fund and run specialist weight management services, and many have paused new initiations due to capacity pressures. Treatment usually continues only if you have lost at least 5 percent of your starting weight after 6 months.
NHS prescriptions cost the standard £9.90 per item in England and are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

How to get Wegovy privately

Private access to Wegovy is available through a number of regulated UK online clinics and pharmacies, following the same kind of process used across the market, an online medical questionnaire, a consultation with a prescriber, and delivery to your door.
Before using any private provider, check two things. First, confirm they are registered with the Care Quality Commission register. Second, confirm their dispensing pharmacy is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council register. Both checks are free and take minutes.
A legitimate private provider will always conduct a proper medical assessment before prescribing, monitor you throughout treatment, and be transparent about the exact drug, dose and dispensing pharmacy they use.
Red flags to avoid: no medical questionnaire before purchase, prices dramatically below the market rate, no UK address or contact number, and claims that no prescription is needed. As with Mounjaro, counterfeit and unlicensed semaglutide products are a documented risk in the UK private market.
Reputable providers currently offering Wegovy in the UK include Juniper, Voy, Numan and several other established clinics, see our UK Clinic Reviews for our independent assessments of each.

What does Wegovy cost in the UK?

NHS prescriptions cost £9.90 per item in England for eligible patients, and are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Privately, Wegovy typically costs between £130 and £300 per month depending on dose and provider, with costs rising through the 16 to 20 week titration schedule as the dose increases toward the 2.4mg maintenance level. The newer 7.2mg dose, intended only for patients who have already reached and tolerated 2.4mg, generally costs more again. See our Mounjaro price comparison for a live sense of how UK GLP-1 pricing generally moves.
Always check the current price directly with your chosen provider before committing, since pricing changes frequently and varies by dose.
Be cautious of prices significantly below typical market rates, since counterfeit products remain a documented risk.

What happens when you stop Wegovy?

This is one of the most important questions, and one that is not discussed honestly enough.
According to STEP trial extension data, most people regain a significant proportion of the weight they lost within a year of stopping semaglutide treatment. This mirrors what has been seen with Mounjaro and reflects the underlying biology rather than a personal failing, semaglutide changes how the brain and gut communicate about hunger, and when the drug stops, those signals return toward their previous state.
This does not mean Wegovy is not worth taking. The health benefits of sustained weight loss, and for some patients the cardiovascular risk reduction shown in the SELECT trial, are real and meaningful during treatment. For some people, the lifestyle changes made during treatment help maintain some of the loss after stopping.
Anyone considering Wegovy should understand this reality before starting. Like Mounjaro, it is a treatment rather than a cure, and works while you take it.

Maintaining weight loss long term

The evidence on long-term maintenance after stopping GLP-1 treatment is still developing. What is known is that people who make meaningful changes to eating patterns and activity levels during treatment tend to maintain more of their weight loss after stopping than those who rely on the drug alone.
According to NICE clinical guidance, Wegovy is most effective when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. The drug’s appetite-reducing effect makes dietary change easier than it would otherwise be, and using that window to build sustainable habits is the most evidence-based approach to long-term maintenance.
For people considering stopping, a gradual dose reduction rather than abrupt cessation is generally recommended. Discuss any plans to stop or reduce with your prescriber.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide is for information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any treatment.