How Wegovy works

Wegovy contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It mimics the naturally occurring gut hormone GLP-1, which your body releases after eating. By activating GLP-1 receptors in the brain, it reduces appetite, increases feelings of fullness, and slows down how quickly food moves through your stomach.

Unlike Mounjaro (which targets both GLP-1 and GIP receptors), Wegovy targets only GLP-1. Despite this, the newer 7.2mg dose of Wegovy — approved by the MHRA in January 2026, with the UK being the first country in the world to approve it — has narrowed the weight loss gap between the two medications significantly.¹

Wegovy is also the same active ingredient found in Ozempic, but at higher doses and with a different licence. Ozempic is approved only for Type 2 diabetes in the UK, while Wegovy is specifically licensed for weight management.

Dosing schedule

Wegovy uses gradual dose escalation over approximately 16–20 weeks to reach the maintenance dose, with a newer 7.2mg option available.

Week	Dose	Notes
Weeks 1–4	0.25mg	Starting dose — for tolerability
Weeks 5–8	0.5mg	Gradual escalation
Weeks 9–12	1mg	Weight loss typically begins
Weeks 13–16	1.7mg	Approaching maintenance
Week 17+	2.4mg	Standard maintenance dose
Optional	7.2mg	Higher dose approved Jan 2026 — up to 20.7% weight loss

Who is Wegovy for?

Licensed indications: Wegovy is licensed in the UK for weight management in adults with obesity (BMI ≥30) or overweight (BMI ≥27) with at least one weight-related comorbidity. It is also licensed for cardiovascular risk reduction in people with established cardiovascular disease and BMI ≥27 — NICE recommended this use in April 2026.²

NHS eligibility: Available through Tier 3 specialist weight management services under NICE TA875 (March 2023). Access remains limited with significant waiting times in most areas.³

Private eligibility: Most providers require BMI ≥30, or BMI ≥27 with a weight-related condition.

Common side effects

• Nausea (~40–44% — the most common side effect)
• Diarrhoea (~30%)
• Constipation, vomiting, headache
• At the 7.2mg dose: dysaesthesia (tingling, pins and needles) has been reported as a new side effect

Serious but rare risks include pancreatitis (~1 in 100), gallbladder disease, and acute kidney injury from dehydration. A thyroid tumour warning exists in the US based on rodent studies, but this has not been confirmed in humans.¹

View full side effects breakdown →

Key clinical trials

STEP 1: Adults on the 2.4mg dose lost an average of 14.9% of body weight over 68 weeks.⁴

STEP UP: The trial for the newer 7.2mg dose showed 20.7% average weight loss over 72 weeks — significantly closing the gap with Mounjaro.⁵

SELECT: This landmark cardiovascular trial showed semaglutide 2.4mg reduced major cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular death) by 20% in people with obesity and established cardiovascular disease. This was the first obesity medication to demonstrate cardiovascular mortality benefit in non-diabetic patients.⁶

Cost in the UK

Private prescriptions for Wegovy typically cost £99–£199 per month, with higher doses at the upper end of that range. The new 7.2mg dose may be priced higher once widely available. On the NHS, the standard prescription charge applies for eligible patients.

Read our full Wegovy cost guide →