How to Get Ozempic® for Weight Loss
Like many others having difficulty losing weight, you might wonder, Can I get Ozempic® in the UK?
In short, yes. However, Ozempic® is licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for type 2 diabetes, not obesity.
It’s strongly recommended that the medicine is not prescribed off-license to support weight loss due to drug shortages. If weight loss is the goal, your GP (general practitioner) or a private healthcare provider is more likely to recommend Wegovy®, which contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic® and is licensed for weight loss. Another option is Mounjaro®.
Some telemedicine platforms, like Hers UK, provide access to Wegovy® and Mounjaro® online. If a clinician determines one of these medications is suitable for you, you can get a prescription, ongoing clinician support, and tools to support your weight loss efforts.
Keep reading for more information on how to get Ozempic® for weight loss, how to get Ozempic® online, and Ozempic® alternatives to consider.
What Is Ozempic® and How Does It Work?
Before we sort out how to get prescribed Ozempic® for weight loss, let’s cover the basics.
Ozempic® is one of the brand names for the medicine semaglutide. It’s made by Novo Nordisk and is part of a class of medications known as GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor agonists.
GLP-1 is a naturally occurring hormone that regulates insulin and promotes feelings of fullness. Ozempic® and other GLP-1 medicines mimic the GLP-1 hormone. They also help the stomach empty more slowly, keeping you feeling full longer.
GLP-1s can reduce appetite and food cravings, quiet food noise (ongoing thoughts about food), and increase insulin production, which helps stabilise blood sugar levels.
Weight loss your way
How to Get Ozempic® for Weight Loss
If eligible, you can get a prescription for Ozempic® from a licensed healthcare professional, either online or in person. Here’s how it works.
How to Get Ozempic® Online
To get Ozempic® online, you’ll need to connect with a care professional who can determine if the medicine is right for you.
However, Ozempic® is actually a diabetes medicine, not a weight loss medication. Current guidance doesn’t recommend prescribing Ozempic® for weight loss in an effort to reserve the supply of the medicine for people with type 2 diabetes.
If you don’t have diabetes, a medical provider may recommend an alternative medication, like Wegovy® or Mounjaro® — both of which are licensed for weight loss.
Here’s how you’d get Wegovy® or Mounjaro® online through the Hers UK platform:
Fill out our online assessment and answer a few questions about your weight, lifestyle, and medical history.
A UK-licensed clinician trained in weight management will go over your answers, recommend the best weight loss treatment for you, and write you a prescription and treatment plan if you’re eligible.
Weight loss medication is shipped to your door. You’ll also get online clinician check-ins, ongoing support, and tools to help you make the lifestyle changes needed for sustainable weight loss.
How to Get Ozempic® in Person
To get Ozempic® in person in the UK, start by speaking to your GP.
If they think Ozempic® is right for you, they may prescribe the medication and let you know the lifestyle changes they recommend.
If you don’t have type 2 diabetes, but your GP thinks a weight loss medicine could help you, they may refer you to an NHS (National Health Service) specialist weight management service. From there, you’d get a prescription for the medicine along with support.
If you’d rather not see your GP for any reason, you can book a consultation with a private weight loss clinic.
Still, a different provider likely won’t recommend Ozempic® unless you have type 2 diabetes. Instead, they may recommend a different weight loss medicine.
Who Can Take Ozempic®?
To officially qualify for Ozempic®, you’ll need to have a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
Wegovy® is another semaglutide drug from Novo Nordisk that’s approved for treating obesity and overweight. You may be eligible if you have a body mass index (BMI) of:
More than 30
More than 27 with a weight-related health condition
Weight-related health conditions include hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, heart disease, and sleep apnoea.
Can You Get an Ozempic® Prescription Without Diabetes?
Ozempic® can be prescribed off-license for weight loss in some cases. But it’s not recommended in the UK.
If you don’t have diabetes (but do have obesity or overweight and a weight-related condition like heart disease), you may also be able to get a prescription for a different GLP-1 agonist.
Weight loss injections that are licensed for overweight and obesity include Wegovy® (semaglutide), Mounjaro® (tirzepatide), and Saxenda® (liraglutide).
Can You Get Ozempic® for Weight Loss on the NHS?
You can only get Ozempic® through the NHS if you have type 2 diabetes.
You may be able to get other weight loss medications on the NHS, though, including Mounjaro® and Wegovy®. The eligibility criteria are a little stricter than if you went private.
Currently, you may be able to get Mounjaro® through the NHS if you have a BMI of 40 or more and at least four weight-related health conditions.
You may be able to get Wegovy® via the NHS if you have a weight-related health condition and a BMI of 35 or more — or 30 or more if you meet other conditions.
The BMI thresholds are lower for certain ethnicities. Even with these criteria, there may be long waiting times, and your GP may recommend other weight loss interventions first.
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How to Buy Ozempic® in the UK
You can buy Ozempic® in the UK by getting the medication privately. But you’ll still need a prescription for it. You’ll need to connect with a healthcare professional who can determine if the medicine is right for you, and if so, write you a private prescription.
You can then buy Ozempic® through an online pharmacy or a telemedicine platform.
Ozempic® Alternatives for Weight Loss
Many GLP-1 agonist medications that work similarly to Ozempic® are now available to help you achieve your weight loss goals. There are also other medications that can be used for weight management — including weight loss pills.
Here are some of your options.
Mounjaro® (Tirzepatide)
Mounjaro® is a weekly injection licensed for both the treatment of type 2 diabetes and weight loss.
The active ingredient is tirzepatide. Tirzepatide works similarly to semaglutide, except it’s a dual agonist. This means that in addition to activating GLP-1, it also activates GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide).
Mounjaro® helps reduce appetite and cravings and makes you feel fuller after eating smaller amounts of food.
Wegovy® (Semaglutide)
The active ingredient in Wegovy® is semaglutide, but unlike Ozempic®, it’s licensed for weight loss.
This weekly injection is available in higher doses of semaglutide than Ozempic®. Wegovy® also leads to more significant weight loss than Ozempic®.
Clinical trials found that people taking Wegovy® lost an average of about 15 percent of their body weight over 68 weeks.
Saxenda® (Liraglutide)
Saxenda® is an injectable GLP-1 agonist medication like Ozempic® and Wegovy®. It suppresses appetite, reduces cravings, and helps you feel fuller.
The main difference is that Saxenda®’s active ingredient is liraglutide, which works similarly to semaglutide, but it’s taken as a daily injection.
Orlistat
Orlistat is a weight loss pill. It’s available on prescription under the brand name Xenical® and as a non-prescription medicine in lower strengths under the brand names Alli® and Orlos®.
The medicine works by preventing some of the fats in your food from being absorbed. Alongside eating a balanced diet and doing more movement, this can help promote weight loss.
Hers UK Weight Loss Medications
Hers offers access to a range of weight loss treatments, including GLP-1 injections and weight loss pills.
As part of a holistic weight loss programme, you can access:
Mounjaro®
Wegovy®
Orlistat
With Hers, you get unlimited access to clinicians if you have questions or need dose adjustments. You’ll also have access to the Hers app at no additional cost. There, you’ll find:
Tools to track your weight loss progress, protein intake, hydration, and more
Meal plans and high-protein healthy recipes
Expert guidance on nutrition, fitness, and sleep
Behaviour-change exercises to help build healthy habits
Our free online assessment helps you explore options that may be suitable for you.
Ozempic® Side Effects and Considerations
Ozempic® can be a helpful piece of the weight loss puzzle, but it’s not without potential side effects.
According to the patient information leaflet, common side effects of Ozempic® include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, and constipation.
Who Shouldn’t Take Ozempic®
You shouldn’t take Ozempic® if you have type 1 diabetes or if you’re allergic to semaglutide. If you have certain health conditions, your GP or private provider may not prescribe Ozempic® or do so with caution, such as a history of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).
A GP or private clinician can let you know if Ozempic® is safe for you. Be sure to let them know of any medical conditions you have or medication you’re taking.
Also, let your provider know if you’re pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding.
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How to Get Ozempic® UK for Weight Loss: In Summary
Can Ozempic® be prescribed for weight loss? In rare cases, it might be prescribed off-license for weight loss in the UK, but this isn’t recommended.
Here’s what to remember if you’re wondering how and where to get Ozempic® for weight loss:
Ozempic® is a diabetes medicine. You’re much more likely to be prescribed a medicine licensed for weight loss like Wegovy® or Mounjaro®.
There aren’t specific Ozempic® qualifications for weight loss. Prescribers may use the same BMI guidelines that Wegovy® has. The general guidelines are that you either need to have a BMI of 30 or more or 27 or more with a weight-related medical condition. But again, they might just recommend Wegovy® or Mounjaro® instead.
There are alternatives to Ozempic® for weight loss. Those include Wegovy®, Mounjaro®, and orlistat. Through Hers, you can access these weight loss medicines online, if they’re suitable for you, as part of a weight loss programme.
Weight loss is a very personal journey, and in the end, the choice to use a medication like Ozempic® is entirely yours. If medical weight loss is something you’re considering, learn more about your options through Hers UK.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your GP about the risks and benefits of any treatment.