Metabolic
Semaglutide
Ozempic · Wegovy · Rybelsus
The licensed weight-loss and diabetes drug behind Ozempic and Wegovy. It slows digestion and dulls appetite, so people eat less without the usual hunger fighting back. Available on the NHS for some, and privately for most.
with extensive phase 3 evidence. Wegovy is UK-authorised for weight management in defined populations; other semaglutide brands have different licensed indications.
How well studied
Tier Guide: A = Well studied, B = Some good studies, C = Early evidence & D = Barely studied
Backed by large human trials, so we have solid data on how it works and what it does.
UK status
How you could legitimately come across it here, if at all
The MHRA has assessed this and authorised it as a UK medicine, so it can be prescribed and dispensed through the normal system.
Evidence strength and UK regulatory status answer different questions.
Overview
How it works
Copies a hormone your gut already makes after eating, telling your brain you're full and slowing down how fast your stomach empties.
Mimics a natural gut () that signals fullness to the brain and slows stomach emptying.
Reported benefits
- Significant appetite suppression and weight loss
- Improves blood glucose control
- Reduces cardiovascular risk markers in trials
Who it's typically used for
Timeline to results
Safety & UK access
Dosage
UK Wegovy SmPC (updated July 2026): weekly subcutaneous escalation of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.7 then 2.4 mg, normally four weeks at each step, under prescriber supervision. For adults with obesity only, the MHRA now permits a further step to 7.2 mg weekly if it is needed after at least four weeks at 2.4 mg. That higher step is not universal maintenance and it is not a target. Your prescriber decides your dose.
Side effects
- Nauseavery common in adults treated for weight management, especially during escalation (UK SmPC)
- Diarrhoea or constipationvery common in the same population (UK SmPC)
- Vomitingcommon in the same population (UK SmPC)
- Gallbladder problemsuncommon in the same population (UK SmPC)
Getting it in the UK
The MHRA has assessed this and authorised it as a UK medicine, so it can be prescribed and dispensed through the normal system.
Where it turns up
- NHS, if you meet the criteria
- Private prescription
Checked and authorised for use in the UK. Available on the NHS if you meet the criteria, or privately.
MHRA-licensed: NHS (criteria-based) and private
MHRA: the UK regulator that assesses whether a medicine is safe and works before it can be authorised for use here. Something not being MHRA-licensed does not automatically mean it is illegal, and it does not mean it is safe.
This is background information about UK regulation, not advice about what you can or should obtain.
Evidence & sources
Why this rating?
The A to D rating shown above comes from our earlier editorial review and is still waiting to be migrated into the structured review record below. That is a gap in our record-keeping, not a sign the rating is wrong.
Evidence fingerprint
No route and indication scope has been published for this profile yet, so no fingerprint is shown.
Sources
Structured source audit not yet published for this profile. The references behind this page are being catalogued one compound at a time, and this one has not been through that process yet.
Content freshness
- Last reviewed
- 24 Sept 2026
- Regulatory status last checked
- 24 Sept 2026