Ozempic

Ozempic Weight Loss Injection UK

We don’t currently offer Ozempic for weight loss at Simple Online Pharmacy. This is because it's not licensed for use in the UK for this purpose at this stage. In addition, as it's primary use is for treating diabetic patients, overuse as a weight loss treatment can result in shortages of this medication. We have therefor decided against offering the treatment on ethical grounds.

We do, however, offer other similar weight loss injections. Wegovy, being released in mid-2023, is exactly the same active ingredient as Ozempic. It is licensed for weight loss, and is easier to administer the recommended dosages for maximum benefit. 

Saxenda is another drug from this class of medicines, and also is a GLP-1 agonist. All three drugs, contain similar active ingredients and are injected under the skin (subcutaneously) daily to help suppress appetite.

While you may not be able to buy Ozempic from us, you can sign up to our mailing list to know when Wegovy is released.

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic is an injectable medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes. It helps the body to reduce high blood sugar levels. By controlling blood sugar levels it reduces the risk of diabetic complications like heart disease and heart attacks. 

It contains the active ingredient semaglutide, which is known as a GLP-1 analogue. It’s a weekly injection and the dose is gradually increased over 4 - 8 weeks until a maintenance dose is reached.

How does it work for weight loss?

The active ingredient, semaglutide, is very similar to a natural hormone in the body called GLP-1. This hormone plays an important role in appetite control and regulation. By mimicking this hormone, semaglutide helps to regulate your appetite and make you feel fuller and less hungry. This can lead to people eating less and losing weight.

Is Ozempic legal?

Ozempic is a fully approved and licensed medicine in the UK. However, it’s only been approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes and isn’t currently licensed as a weight-loss treatment. You may find certain private weight loss clinics prescribing it and this is legal but it’s known as ‘off-label’ prescribing. This is when a medicine is prescribed outside the scope of its licence.

If you do buy Ozempic online, you should make sure that the website you are buying from is a UK registered and regulated online pharmacy. 

Ozempic Side Effects

The side effects below are taken from the Ozempic patient information leaflet. This leaflet has been produced for people taking Ozempic for type 2 diabetes treatment. The information may not be correct for people using Ozempic for weight loss through a private clinic because the doses used may differ. 

Two very common side effects are nausea and diarrhoea. These are thought to affect more than 1 in 10 people using this medicine. These side effects usually improve after using this medicine for some time.

An uncommon but serious side effect is an inflamed pancreas (acute pancreatitis). This can cause severe pain in the stomach and back which doesn’t go away. Anyone with signs of this side effect should seek medical attention.

Other side effects include vomiting, stomach bloating, tiredness, reduced appetite, and acid reflux. For a complete list of side effects, see section 4 of the patient information leaflet.

Is Ozempic available on the NHS?

Ozempic is available on the NHS for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It’s not currently offered by the NHS as a weight loss medication. Ozempic is only available for weight loss on private prescriptions from private weight loss clinics. Each private clinic will set its own Ozempic cost to their patients. Buying Ozempic from a UK registred online clinic is legal, however costs can vary dramatically. You should also be satisfed that the care and advice you are receiving will allow you to get the full benefit of the treatment.

The weight-loss treatment orlistat is available on the NHS and it can also be bought from your local pharmacy.

Summary

Ozempic alternatives

Although Ozempic isn’t licensed for weight loss, other weight loss injections are licensed in the UK. Saxenda contains a similar active ingredient (from the same medicine class) and works similarly for weight loss. Weogvy contains the same active ingredient but at a different dose. Find out the full differences in 'Wegovy vs Ozempic'.

These have been approved by the regulators as effective weight loss injections. Saxenda is available on private prescriptions now and Wegovy at release in early 2022.

Order Saxenda from our online doctor

Order Wegovy from our online doctor

Another licensed weight loss drug in the UK is orlistat. This is an oral capsule taken up to three times a day with a main meal. Orlistat works by reducing the amount of fat the body absorbs from food, which reduces your calorie intake.

It’s available over the counter under the brand names Alli and Orlos. A prescription-only brand called Xenical is also available.

These weight loss treatments can be ordered online from our online doctor weight loss clinic.

FAQ

Is Ozempic used for weight loss?

Can I buy Ozempic online?

Yes, you can buy Ozempic online from a number of private clinics. While we don't currently offer it on ethical grounds, we will be offering Wegovy, which is the same drug, but it specifically licensed for weight loss.

Is Ozempic an insulin?

Although Ozempic pen is used to treat people with type 2 diabetes, it isn't insulin. Insulin is an important treatment for people with type 1 diabetes and is sometimes used in type 2 diabetes. Ozempic works to reduce blood sugar levels only when blood sugar is too high.

Does Ozempic suppress appetite?

One of the common side effects of Ozempic is a decreased appetite. It can also lead to weight loss as a side effect, which is why some doctors will prescribe Ozempic for weight loss. Other medicines that work similarly are Wegovy and Saxenda. These are licensed weight-loss treatments and help to control appetite and lead to weight loss.

Where can I buy Ozempic in the UK?

Ozempic for weight loss can only be prescribed by a private weight loss clinic in the UK. There are very few options online to buy Ozempic. If you do want to buy Ozempic online in the UK, we recommend that you carefully check the website to make sure it's a genuine regulated online pharmacy.

If you want to buy licensed weight loss treatments instead like orlistat or Saxenda, you can visit our online doctor weight loss clinic.

Author

	Name	Hywel McGlinchy
	Role	Clinical Pharmacist
	Qual.	Masters of Pharmacy
	About	Hywel started with Simple Online Pharmacy in 2020. He's responsible for helping review and author accurate site content. He works with our GPs to make sure all aspects of the medicines are covered.
	LinkedIn:

Can you get Wegovy on the NHS?

Wegovy side effects

 

Warnings

Ozempic is not suitable for everyone. It should not be taken by anyone who’s allergic to semaglutide or any of the other ingredients. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not take this medicine. 

Studies have shown that the family of medicines that semaglutide belongs to (GLP-1 analogues) can cause thyroid tumors in rats. There is very little data about this effect on humans, but the risk cannot be excluded.

For more information on the warnings associated with this medicine, see section 2 of the patient information leaflet.