Wegovy Pen

Wegovy Weight Loss Pen

Wegovy is a prescription medication containing the active ingredient 'Semaglutide' and has recently received approval from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for patients who meet eligibility criteria, including carrying excess weight as an effective weight loss drug.

The same active ingredient, Semaglutide, is found in existing medical products including Ozempic and Rybelsus, which are currently only approved/licensed for use in managing patients with type 2 diabetes, but both were previously prescribed off-label for weight management.

What is Wegovy?

Wegovy is the brand name for NovoNordisk's latest effective weight loss medication, containing the active ingredient Semaglutide. When used alongside a low calorie diet and increased physical activity, Semaglutide has been proven to be an effective weight loss medication.

Semaglutide works by regulating your appetite and in turn, your food intake.

Wegovy mimics a gut hormone called 'GLP-1'. This hormone is released after you eat food and it slows down the movement of food through your gut so you feel fuller, quicker, and for longer thus regulating appetite. Often patients will find this sensation of earlier fullness being triggered part way through a meal, thus reducing overall active calorie intake. This lends Wegovy well to being an effective weight loss treatment.

In order to get the most from Wegovy, it should be utilised as part of a lifestyle change incorporating increased exercise, a healthy diet and a reduced calorie meal plan, to help reduce body weight.

How Do I Take Wegovy?

Before you can take Wegovy it is essential to have a consultation with a healthcare professional who would assess your suitability, as Wegovy is not for everyone.

Often patients with weight related medical problems would typically be considered suitable candidates for Wegovy.

There will be 5 available strengths ranging from 0.25mg to 2.4mg. The dosage is increased at regular intervals under the supervision of your prescriber. The recommended dosage regime will be to start off at 0.25mg and gradually increase to 2.4mg which is the maximum maintenance dosage.

Example Regime:

Week 1-4: 0.25mg (Starting Dose)

Week 5-8: 0.5mg

Week 9-12: 1mg

Week 13-16: 1.7mg

Week 17 and onwards: 2.4mg (Maintenance dose)

It is important to remember that you may not necessarily have to increase at the rate stated in the above dosing schedule to the maximum dose and your prescriber will discuss this with you, tailoring treatment to your unique circumstances.

All Wegovy pens will be pre-filled with the exact dose required. The pen is only for single use and must be disposed of once injected. The recommended injection sites are:

• Into your stomach (abdomen)

• Upper arm

• Upper Legs/Thighs

Is Wegovy Effective for Weight Loss?

Wegovy has been clinically proven to be more effective than other weight loss medication medications when combined with physical activity and a reduced calorie diet in weight management.

In a clinical trial led by Novo Nordisk, 1,961 overweight or clinically obese adults were randomly assigned the once-weekly dose of Semaglutide injections (Wegovy) alongside a placebo group. After 68 weeks, the average weight loss in the group that took Wegovy had a 15.3% weight loss compared to the placebo patients which was only 2.6%.

There have since been 4 more clinical trials for the use of Wegovy. After the 4th trial Novo Nordisk released the results and stated, "Semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy) demonstrated superior and sustained weight loss versus the placebo patients and in addition a 17.4% weight loss after 68 weeks in STEP 4 trial".

With this research in mind, there is clear evidence that Semaglutide when taken alongside a controlled balanced diet and increased exercise results in significant weight loss compared to other weight loss alternatives.

NHS Approval

In early 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended the use of Semaglutide to help adults tackle obesity. Adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 and/or suffering from a weight-related health condition (e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure) will be eligible to take Wegovy.

Obesity has become one of the leading causes of severe health conditions costing the NHS £6.5 billion a year. With the release of Wegovy, the time for patients waiting for treatments caused by weight-related conditions can be cut short with fewer patients needing operations, saving the NHS time and money.

The NHS is planning on spending £40 million to explore next-generation weight loss drugs as well as putting in place health schemes to tackle obesity, and the recommendation of Wegovy from NICE is the first big leap towards this goal. Using these recommendations from NICE, the NHS will make Wegovy available to patients in the UK through prescription as part of a specialist weight management service.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stated 'Obesity puts huge pressure on the NHS and tackling obesity will help reduce the pressure on the NHS as well as cutting waiting times, which is one of the government's top priorities.'

The exact pricing of Wegovy has not yet been made public and as such would be difficult to speculate. However, we do know that the pricing will not be too dissimilar to existing Semaglutide containing products that work in the same way (Ozempic and Rybelsus - albeit only licensed for Type 2 Diabetes).

At Quick Meds we intend to maintain competitive pricing whilst ensuring we are able to provide a viable and safe service to our patients.

How Long Does Wegovy Take to Work?

Using Wegovy can vary from one individual to another. However, the majority usually have the same effects and the medication starts to become effective immediately. The prescriber will advise you through your journey towards weight loss whilst on Wegovy.

The effects of the Wegovy will start to make you feel fuller for longer periods from the first injection and will continue to do so until it starts to wear off, towards the end of the week ready for the next dose. You should not expect to start losing the pounds straight away, as the body initially is getting used to the medication but as you feel less hungry and eat less, the body will start to burn the fat thus losing more weight.

Your weight loss journey should be tracked and your prescribers will provide expert advice while using Wegovy. By sticking to a reduced-calorie diet and exercising regularly, you should start to lose weight from the first injection. As you continue the journey, you will be titrated to higher dosages all the way up to 2.4mg.

Novo Nordisk advises that the Wegovy is to be used for around two years which should give you enough time, if consistently used to help you get to a healthy body weight.

Is Wegovy Available on the NHS?

When Wegovy is released in the UK, eligible patients will be able to purchase this through the NHS. However, the cost of the injections is yet to be released. The NHS will provide guidance and programs for weight loss alongside specialist weight loss pharmacies such as ourselves.

Wegovy can be prescribed to adults that fit within the criteria which is:

• a BMI* of 30 or greater (classed as obese) 

• a BMI of at least 27 but less than 30 (overweight) but who have weight-related health problems (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc)

What Should I Do if I Want to Be Prescribed Weight Loss Medication?

Wegovy will be available at Quick Meds once it has been released. We are a UK registered and GPhC regulated pharmacy. Our team of regulated pharmacists are always at hand to help you on your weight loss journey.

Can You Take Wegovy Whilst Pregnant?

If you are planning a pregnancy or are pregnant, it is not suitable to be using Wegovy or any form of Semaglutide. Studies on animals have been conducted by Novo Nordisk which displayed fetal growth abnormalities and early pregnancy loss when using this drug.

Women who are planning a pregnancy should stop the use of any Semaglutide at least 2 months prior to trying for a baby, to be clear of any complications which may be caused by the medicine.