Semaglutide For Weight Loss: what’s approved in the UK

Over the last few years, semaglutide weight loss injections have gone from niche medical treatment to global headline. People Google:

• “semaglutide for weight loss”

• “weight loss drug Ozempic”

• “semaglutide tablets for weight loss”

• “Ozempic without prescription”

The problem? A lot of what you’ll see online mixes together different brands, different licences and a lot of misinformation.

This guide breaks down, in a UK context:

• What semaglutide actually is and how it helps with weight loss

• The difference between Ozempic, Wegovy and other semaglutide brands

• Where semaglutide is approved for weight loss – and where it isn’t

• The reality of semaglutide tablets / pills for weight loss

• Why getting Ozempic or semaglutide without prescription is unsafe and illegal

• How to think about “semaglutide near me” safely

At the end you’ll find links to deeper dives on GLP-1 medicines, Wegovy and Saxenda.

What is semaglutide – and how does it help with weight loss?

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist – a medicine that mimics the hormone GLP-1, which helps regulate:

• Appetite and cravings

• How quickly your stomach empties

• Blood sugar control

In simple terms, semaglutide for weight loss works by:

• Making you feel full sooner

• Keeping you full for longer

• Helping stabilise blood sugar and insulin responses

In large weight-management trials (using weekly 2.4 mg semaglutide injections plus diet and activity changes), people lost on average around 15% of their starting body weight over 68 weeks – significantly more than lifestyle changes alone.

Important: These are trial averages, not promises. Some people lose more, some less, and some stop due to side-effects.

Different semaglutide formats

Globally, semaglutide comes in three main forms:

• Once-weekly injections – e.g. Wegovy® and Ozempic®

• Daily oral tablets – e.g. Rybelsus®

• Emerging generic and “copycat” versions, including compounded products in some countries

But not all of these are licensed for weight loss in the UK – and that’s the crucial detail.

Wegovy vs Ozempic vs Rybelsus: what’s actually licensed in the UK?

Think of semaglutide as the ingredient. The question is: under which brand name, dose and indication is it approved?

Wegovy® (semaglutide) – weight management

In the UK, Wegovy is semaglutide specifically licensed for managing overweight and obesity. NICE recommends it for adults with:

• BMI ≥ 35 kg/m² and at least one weight-related condition, or

• BMI 30–34.9 kg/m² with weight-related comorbidities, within specialist weight-management services

Key points:

• Once-weekly semaglutide injection

• Dose escalated over 16 weeks to a maintenance dose (usually 2.4 mg)

• Used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity

If you’re talking about “semaglutide weight loss injections” in the UK, Wegovy is the main licensed product.

Ozempic® (semaglutide) – type 2 diabetes, not weight loss

Ozempic is also semaglutide – but in the UK it is licensed only for:

• Adults with type 2 diabetes, to improve blood sugar control (often when other drugs haven’t been enough)

Important distinctions:

• Also a once-weekly injection, but licensed as a diabetes medicine, not as a weight-loss drug

• UK guidance now makes it very clear: Ozempic should not be prescribed purely for weight loss in people without diabetes, especially given ongoing supply pressures and safety concerns.

So while you will see people referring to Ozempic as a “weight loss drug”, in the UK:

• Ozempic = diabetes indication

• Wegovy = weight-management indication

…even though they share the same active ingredient.

Rybelsus® – semaglutide tablets (for diabetes)

Rybelsus is an oral semaglutide tablet, taken daily. In the UK it is licensed for:

• Adults with type 2 diabetes, where diet and exercise plus other oral medicines haven’t given enough control

Some people on Rybelsus lose weight as a side-effect of improved appetite control. But:

• Rybelsus is not licensed as a weight-loss treatment in the UK

• Many reputable online services explicitly state they do not prescribe semaglutide tablets off-label for weight loss, given safer licensed alternatives like Wegovy or Mounjaro exist.

So if you’re searching “semaglutide tablets for weight loss / semaglutide pills”:

• The only branded semaglutide tablets currently in UK mainstream use are Rybelsus – for diabetes

• Any “diet pills” labelled as semaglutide and sold without prescription sit in very risky territory

Ozempic for weight loss: what’s approved and what isn’t?

Because people with type 2 diabetes on Ozempic often lose weight, it has been heavily marketed online as a “weight loss drug Ozempic”.

Here’s the UK reality:

• Ozempic’s licence is for type 2 diabetes treatment, not obesity

• UK regulators and professional bodies now stress that Ozempic should not be prescribed purely for weight loss in non-diabetics

• Off-label prescribing for cosmetic weight loss is seen as inappropriate and unsafe, especially while there are supply issues for people who need it for diabetes

If you see social media sellers offering “Ozempic without prescription” for weight loss, that is illegal and potentially dangerous.

Off-label and unlicensed use: what does it mean for patients?

You’ll often hear the terms:

• “off-label use” – when a licensed drug is used in a different dose, population or indication than the official licence

• “unlicensed” or compounded versions – products that are not licensed medicines at all, often made up by compounding pharmacies

In theory, a UK doctor can prescribe a medicine off-label if:

• There’s a clear evidence base

• The licensed alternatives are unsuitable

• The patient is fully informed and gives informed consent

• The prescriber accepts legal and professional responsibility

In practice, regulators now strongly emphasise that GLP-1 medicines like semaglutide should only be used for people who are overweight or diabetic, and not simply for cosmetic slimming in people with healthy weight.

So if someone is offering you:

• Ozempic purely as a weight-loss jab when you don’t have diabetes

• Semaglutide tablets specifically marketed as “diet pills”

• “Compounded semaglutide” from outside the standard supply chain

…you should treat it as a major red flag.

Semaglutide tablets / pills for weight loss: what’s real right now?

Let’s address the “semaglutide tablets for weight loss / semaglutide pills” question directly.

What exists globally

• Oral semaglutide (Rybelsus) is approved in multiple countries, including the UK, for type 2 diabetes, not weight loss.

• Clinical studies show it can lead to modest weight loss, but less than high-dose weekly injections used in obesity trials.

What’s relevant for weight loss in the UK (right now)

• For weight-management, UK NICE guidance focuses on injectable semaglutide (Wegovy) and other GLP-1/GIP options, not oral tablets.

• Some online doctors mention theoretical off-label use of oral semaglutide for obesity, but many do not offer it, precisely because licensed options exist and off-label use raises more risk and regulatory complexity.

So if you see a site selling “semaglutide weight loss pills” or “Wegovy tablets”:

• They are not selling a licensed UK weight-loss medicine

• There is a significant risk of counterfeiting or mis-labelled products

Your safest assumption: if it’s a pill marketed purely for weight loss, it’s not the regulated semaglutide your doctor would prescribe.

Supply issues, counterfeits and “semaglutide near me”

Because demand for GLP-1 jabs has exploded, the UK and many other countries have experienced serious supply constraints. That has fuelled a parallel market of:

• Counterfeit Ozempic/Wegovy/Saxenda pens

• Unregulated online “pharmacies”

• TikTok and Instagram sellers shipping “semaglutide” vials for self-injection

What regulators are seeing

• The MHRA has warned about fake and potentially harmful Ozempic and Saxenda pens found in the UK and urged people to only get these medicines via legitimate prescriptions and pharmacies.

• The WHO and Diabetes UK have highlighted fake semaglutide being identified in the UK and internationally, advising that semaglutide treatment should only come through healthcare professionals.

• The EMA has warned of a surge in counterfeit online weight-loss drugs marketed as semaglutide or tirzepatide, often from outside the EU, with unknown composition and serious safety risks.

• UK press reports describe people hospitalised after buying “semaglutide” jabs for £40 on TikTok with no medical checks at all.

On top of that, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has introduced stricter rules for online pharmacies selling weight-loss jabs, including requirements for video checks and more robust verification of height, weight and medical history.

What that means for “semaglutide near me”

If you’re searching for “semaglutide near me”, choose providers that:

• Are clearly registered UK pharmacies or clinics, with GPhC/GMC numbers visible

• Require a proper medical questionnaire and, ideally, a video or in-person consultation

• Are transparent about which brand and dose they’re prescribing (e.g. Wegovy 2.4 mg)

• Don’t promise instant shipping or “no questions asked” semaglutide

Avoid providers that:

• Offer Ozempic or Wegovy without prescription

• Sell “research” or “compounded” semaglutide directly to consumers in the UK

• Offer deals that look too cheap to be true compared with typical UK prices

• Use non-UK contact details, generic email addresses and minimal regulation info

Semaglutide reviews and realistic expectations

Looking across semaglutide and Wegovy reviews from UK clinics, forums and media stories, common patterns appear:

Positives people report:

• Strong reduction in appetite and “food noise”

• Easier adherence to smaller portions and healthier choices

• Significant weight loss over 6–12+ months (for some, well over 10% of body weight)

• Improvements in blood sugar, blood pressure and lipids

Challenges and side-effects:

• Nausea, especially when doses increase

• Occasional vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation

• Abdominal discomfort or bloating

• Fatigue, “off” days, need to avoid heavy/fatty meals

• Anxiety about weight regain after stopping, and about long-term safety

Remember:

• Semaglutide is not suitable for everyone (e.g. certain endocrine disorders, history of pancreatitis, pregnancy, some kidney/liver conditions).

• It should never be self-injected without proper training and professional oversight.

How this fits with other GLP-1 options (and where to learn more)

Semaglutide is one piece of the GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 landscape, which now includes:

• Wegovy (semaglutide) – weekly weight-loss injection

• Saxenda (liraglutide) – daily weight-loss injection

• Mounjaro (tirzepatide) – dual GIP/GLP-1 for diabetes and, increasingly, obesity

• Rybelsus (semaglutide tablets) – diabetes only

To go deeper, you’d internally link to:

• GLP-1 overview hub:
  “GLP-1 drugs for weight loss: Wegovy, Saxenda, Ozempic and semaglutide explained”

• Wegovy deep-dive:
  “Wegovy for weight loss: doses, results, reviews and how it’s used in the UK”

• Saxenda deep-dive:
  “Saxenda: how it works for weight loss, dosing, side-effects and UK availability”

These give patients a full picture of mechanisms, evidence, dosing and safety across the class.

Bottom line: safe use of semaglutide for weight loss in the UK

• Semaglutide for weight loss in the UK is mainly via Wegovy, a licensed weekly injection for people with obesity or overweight plus health risks.

• Ozempic is semaglutide too – but licensed only for type 2 diabetes, and should not be used as a casual slimming jab in non-diabetics.

• Semaglutide tablets (Rybelsus) are available for diabetes, not as a licensed weight-loss medicine, despite the hype around “semaglutide pills”.

• Regulators are increasingly worried about counterfeit and compounded semaglutide sold online – stick strictly to prescription-only, regulated UK routes.

• Semaglutide can deliver substantial weight loss for the right patients, but it’s a powerful drug, not a lifestyle substitute, and must be used under full medical supervision and informed consent.

If you’re considering a semaglutide weight-loss programme, the safest next step is to book an appointment with a regulated provider (like a digital weight-loss clinic or your GP), discuss your medical history in detail, and explore whether a licensed GLP-1 treatment is appropriate – or whether another strategy would be safer and more sustainable for you.