What Ozempic is
Ozempic contains semaglutide and is made by Novo Nordisk. Ozempic has no weight-management indication. Wegovy is the semaglutide product approved for weight loss. Prescribing Ozempic for weight loss is off-label: a use its FDA label doesn’t cover, which a clinician may still choose.
FDA-approved for
- Blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes
- Lowering heart and kidney risks in adults with type 2 diabetes
Dosing
Weekly injection. 0.25 mg for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg, and up to 1 mg or 2 mg if more blood sugar control is needed. Your clinician sets the pace, and it is common to stay at a dose longer if side effects are hard to manage.
How well it works
Its trials measured blood sugar (HbA1c), not weight loss, as the main goal. These are averages from clinical trials; your results may be different.
Ozempic cost
Listed at $199 a month on TrumpRx.gov (dose not published); list price $1,028. For every price option, read How much does Wegovy cost in 2026?. For the steps, read How to get the Wegovy pill online.
Safety: GLP-1 medications carry a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors and are not for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. Labels also warn about pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, low blood sugar with some diabetes drugs, kidney problems from dehydration and severe stomach problems. Talk to a licensed clinician about your history.
Legal status: Prescription only; FDA-approved, prescribed off-label here.