What is the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?

Why do Ozempic and Wegovy have different names?

The brand name tracks the FDA-approved indication, not a different molecule. OZEMPIC injection carries three indications, all restricted to adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control; to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke) in adults with established cardiovascular disease; and to reduce the risk of sustained eGFR decline, end-stage kidney disease, and cardiovascular death in adults with chronic kidney disease.

Wegovy injection is indicated, in combination with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity, to reduce excess body weight in adults with obesity, in adults with overweight with at least one weight-related comorbid condition, and in pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with obesity. Both Wegovy injection and Wegovy tablets are indicated to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight. Wegovy injection is also indicated, under accelerated approval, for noncirrhotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (stages F2 to F3) in adults; this indication does not apply to Wegovy tablets.

Wegovy's single FDA label covers two dosage forms, WEGOVY (semaglutide) injection and WEGOVY (semaglutide) tablet, while OZEMPIC (oral semaglutide) tablet is published on DailyMed under a label shared with RYBELSUS (oral semaglutide) tablet. OZEMPIC tablet strengths (1.5 mg, 4 mg, 9 mg) differ from RYBELSUS strengths (3 mg, 7 mg, 14 mg) on the same shared label, so the brands are not interchangeable milligram-for-milligram.

CMS negotiated a Medicare maximum fair price of $274 for a 30-day supply of the selected drug Ozempic; Rybelsus; Wegovy (Novo Nordisk Inc.), taking effect January 1, 2027.

How do the Ozempic and Wegovy dosing ladders differ?

Ozempic tops out at a 2 mg weekly maximum on a monthly step-up, while Wegovy escalates on a 4-week schedule up to a 7.2 mg maximum. Per the OZEMPIC prescribing information, dosing starts at 0.25 mg once weekly and increases to 0.5 mg after 4 weeks. If additional glycemic control is needed, the dosage may be increased to 1 mg, then 2 mg, each after at least 4 weeks on the prior dosage. For the chronic kidney disease indication, the dosage is increased to 1 mg after at least 4 weeks at 0.5 mg. OZEMPIC injection is supplied in single-patient-use prefilled pens.

Per the Wegovy prescribing information, Wegovy injection is taken once weekly on the same day each week, with or without meals, and is escalated on a 4-week-per-step schedule: 0.25 mg for weeks 1-4, 0.5 mg for weeks 5-8, 1 mg for weeks 9-12, 1.7 mg for weeks 13-16, then a maintenance dose from week 17 onward. For weight reduction in adults, the maintenance dose is 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg once weekly, and may be increased to a maximum of 7.2 mg once weekly if further weight reduction is needed and the dose is tolerated.

What did the clinical trials show?

The weight-loss evidence sits with the 2.4 mg once-weekly dose, per the published STEP trial reports.

In STEP 1 — 1,961 adults with overweight or obesity, without diabetes — mean change in body weight from baseline to week 68 was -14.9% with once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4 mg versus -2.4% with placebo, and 86.4% of semaglutide participants (1,047) achieved at least 5% weight loss versus 31.5% (182) on placebo. In STEP 2 — 1,210 adults with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes — estimated mean change in body weight at week 68 was -9.6% with semaglutide 2.4 mg versus -3.4% with placebo (trial reports as of August 2026).

In SELECT — 17,604 patients aged 45 or older with preexisting cardiovascular disease and a body-mass index of 27 or greater, without a history of diabetes, followed a mean of 39.8 months — the primary composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke occurred in 6.5% of patients (569 of 8,803) on semaglutide 2.4 mg versus 8.0% (701 of 8,801) on placebo, a hazard ratio of 0.80 (95% CI 0.72 to 0.90; P<0.001). Adverse events leading to permanent discontinuation occurred in 16.6% of semaglutide recipients versus 8.2% on placebo (trial report as of August 2026).

Per the OZEMPIC label as of August 2026: in SUSTAIN 6 (NCT01720446), the hazard ratio for time to first major adverse cardiovascular event with OZEMPIC injection versus placebo was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.58, 0.95); in FLOW (NCT03819153), the hazard ratio for the primary composite kidney endpoint was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.88); and in the monotherapy trial (NCT02054897), week-30 change in HbA1c was -1.4% with 0.5 mg and -1.6% with 1 mg, with body weight change of -3.8 kg and -4.7 kg respectively.

Which one will my insurance plan cover?

Coverage is decided plan by plan, not by the molecule. A formulary is the list of prescription drugs covered by a prescription drug plan or other insurance plan offering prescription drug benefits. Preauthorization — also called prior authorization — is a decision by a health insurer or plan that a health care service, treatment plan, prescription drug, or durable medical equipment is medically necessary. Measured states that many insurance plans require a prior authorization before they will cover brand-name GLP-1s such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound.

For how plans adjudicate these requests, see does insurance cover GLP-1 weight loss medication; if your plan has said no to one brand, how to appeal a GLP-1 insurance denial is the next step.

How much do Ozempic and Wegovy cost without insurance?

Prices verified August 24, 2026 — self-pay prices are promotional and change on the dates below.

Novo Nordisk publishes self-pay pricing for Wegovy starting at $149/month, but Measured does not have a sourced manufacturer self-pay price for Ozempic to quote. Novo Nordisk states a list price of $1,349.02 per package for the Wegovy pill, the Wegovy pen, and the Wegovy HD pen; list price is the manufacturer price before discounts or rebates, and most insured patients pay less. Self-pay pricing for the Wegovy pen is advertised as a limited-time introductory offer of $199 per month for the first 2 months at the 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg doses, then $349 per month, advertised through December 31, 2026; the Wegovy HD 7.2 mg pen is $399 per month. Self-pay pricing for the Wegovy pill is advertised at $149 per month for the 1.5 mg dose; the 4 mg dose is also $149 per month through August 31, 2026, after which it moves to $199 per month. These promotional prices are set by the manufacturer and can change without notice.

On the Medicare side, the CY 2024 list price for a 30-day supply was $959, so the negotiated $274 price represents a 71% discount, effective January 1, 2027. Under the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge program, running July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027, all dose strengths of the Wegovy pen and pill are available for $50 per month — but only to beneficiaries who meet the program's own eligibility rules: a qualifying Medicare Part D plan, a qualifying BMI, and no type 2 diabetes, moderate-to-severe sleep apnea, or fatty liver disease. It is not available to every Part D enrollee.

At Measured, Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound, and the Wegovy Pill are listed at a membership price starting from $49/mo, with medication cost paid separately. Measured lists Ozempic as "Insurance required," lists Wegovy as available "With and without insurance," and states that while many patients have GLP-1 copays around $20, actual out-of-pocket cost depends on the patient's specific insurance plan and pharmacy benefits.

Which one will a provider prescribe for me?

Every Ozempic indication requires type 2 diabetes, so if weight reduction is the goal and there is no type 2 diabetes diagnosis, the Wegovy label is the one a prescriber works from.

Per both labels, both brands are contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2), and after a serious hypersensitivity reaction to semaglutide or its excipients. Concomitant use of Wegovy tablets or Wegovy injection with other semaglutide-containing products or with any other GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended.

What are the side effects of Ozempic and Wegovy?

The most common adverse reactions with OZEMPIC injection (reported in at least 5% of patients) are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation; in placebo-controlled trials, nausea occurred in 15.8% of patients on 0.5 mg and 20.3% on 1 mg (label as of August 2026).

Wegovy's list is longer, reflecting trials in more populations at higher doses. Per the Wegovy label as of August 2026, the most common adverse reactions (incidence at or above 5%) in adults or pediatric patients aged 12 years and older are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, dysesthesia, headache, fatigue, dyspepsia, dizziness, abdominal distension, eructation, hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes, flatulence, gastroenteritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and hair loss.

Both carry the same boxed warning, per the OZEMPIC and Wegovy prescribing information: risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. In rodents, semaglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures; it is unknown whether Wegovy causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans. Acute pancreatitis has occurred in clinical trials with semaglutide; Wegovy should be discontinued promptly if pancreatitis is suspected and not restarted if confirmed. The WEGOVY FlexTouch pen must never be shared between patients, even if the needle is changed, because of the risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens.

Can I switch from Ozempic to Wegovy?

Yes, with a new prescription — but not as a milligram swap, since the doses do not line up. Per the two prescribing information documents, the maximum recommended dosage of OZEMPIC injection is 2 mg once weekly, while Wegovy injection is escalated on a 4-week-per-step schedule to a maintenance dose — so a switch is a prescribing decision, not a milligram swap. A switch also bills a different indication, which means a new formulary check and, in many cases, a new prior authorization. If Wegovy is the one you want, here is how to get a Wegovy prescription online.

Sources and freshness

Prescribing information comes from DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine); trial figures from the published STEP 1, STEP 2, and SELECT reports via PubMed; prices from CMS and Novo Nordisk, dated where they appear.