Wegovy (semaglutide): the 2026 buyer's guide
Wegovy is Novo Nordisk's once-weekly semaglutide injection, approved by the FDA in 2021 as the first GLP-1 specifically indicated for chronic weight management. Below: how it works, what trials show, what it costs in 2026 and which programs in our chart prescribe it.
Compare Wegovy prices →- Wegovy is a weekly injection of semaglutide, FDA-approved for chronic weight management since 2021.
- In the STEP-1 trial, mean weight loss was 14.9% over 68 weeks, with 50.5% of patients losing 15% or more of body weight.
- It carries the GLP-1 class boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumor risk, and is not for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2.
- Cash, insurance and compounded prices differ widely. See the cost breakdown below, and the all-in program costs on the chart.
What Wegovy costs in 2026
There is no one price. What you pay depends on which path you take:
Telehealth programs add a membership fee on top of the medication cost (typically $40-$200/mo). For all-in monthly costs by program, see the chart, the full GLP-1 cost guide, or calculate your exact all-in cost by drug, coverage and state.
For every cash path to Wegovy without insurance, the $149 oral pill, the $199 intro injection and the $178 compounded route, see the Wegovy cost guide.
Wegovy BMI criteria and label thresholds
The FDA approved Wegovy for adults who meet one of two criteria from the prescribing label:
| BMI threshold | Additional requirement | Plain-language meaning |
|---|---|---|
| BMI 30 or higher | None | Obesity by standard clinical definition. No comorbidity required. |
| BMI 27 to 29.9 | At least one weight-related comorbidity | Overweight with a condition that raises cardiovascular or metabolic risk. Qualifying comorbidities include type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or obstructive sleep apnea. |
These are the label criteria from the FDA-approved prescribing information; they are also what most commercial insurance plans use as the baseline for prior authorization. Individual plan policies may add step-therapy or documentation requirements on top of the BMI threshold, but they cannot set a higher BMI cutoff than the label without conflicting with published clinical criteria. If your insurer denied Wegovy citing BMI below their threshold, check whether their published PA policy matches the FDA label.
Wegovy was first approved by the FDA in June 2021 for chronic weight management, making it the first GLP-1 approved specifically for obesity at the 2.4 mg dose. The SELECT trial (2023) added a cardiovascular risk-reduction indication for adults with BMI 27 or higher and established cardiovascular disease, regardless of whether they have type 2 diabetes. That second indication is the one most commonly covered by commercial insurance when the obesity indication is excluded.
Who it's for
Adults with BMI ≥30, or BMI ≥27 with at least one weight-related comorbidity (hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea).
What the trials show
Wegovy's registration trial was STEP-1 (NEJM, 2021). At 68 weeks at the maximum dose, mean weight loss was 14.9% (12.4 percentage points greater than placebo). 86.4% of patients lost at least 5% of body weight; 50.5% lost at least 15%. Real-world results vary; trial patients are typically more adherent and more closely managed than typical telehealth patients.
Dose schedule
Dose levels: 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1.0mg, 1.7mg, 2.4mg. Standard practice is to titrate up monthly, holding at any tolerated dose. Maximum dose is 2.4mg weekly; many patients reach goal weight at sub-maximum doses and stay there.
Common side effects
The most commonly reported side effects in the registration trial:
- nausea (44%)
- diarrhea (30%)
- constipation (24%)
- vomiting (24%)
- abdominal pain (20%)
Boxed warning: Risk of thyroid C-cell tumors (rodent data); contraindicated in patients with personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2 syndrome.
How Wegovy differs from related drugs
Same molecule as Ozempic and Rybelsus, branded specifically for weight loss at higher doses than the diabetes formulations.
Compounded semaglutide
Compounded semaglutide is the same active molecule prepared by a 503A pharmacy under prescription rather than manufactured under FDA new-drug approval as Wegovy. Cash-pay savings versus branded Wegovy are typically 50-80%. The regulatory environment has tightened. FDA shortage list resolved October 2024; compounded semaglutide enforcement increased through 2025. For the comparison, see compounded vs FDA-approved semaglutide.
Programs that prescribe Wegovy
These programs in our chart prescribe Wegovy (with insurance coverage where applicable, or as a cash-pay option). Ranked by overall score.
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Wegovy vs other GLP-1s
Clinical indications
Beyond obesity, Wegovy carries two additional FDA-approved indications. For cardiovascular risk reduction (after the SELECT trial), see the cardiovascular and GLP-1 guide. For moderate-to-severe sleep apnea (after SURMOUNT-OSA), see the OSA and GLP-1 guide.
Learn more about Wegovy
References
- STEP-1 registration trial. New England Journal of Medicine, 2021.
- Wegovy FDA prescribing information (DailyMed).
Trial figures are mean results at the maximum dose in the cited registration trial. Real-world outcomes vary with adherence and clinical management.
Editorial disclosure
GLP Chart is an editorial comparison site. We do not dispense, prescribe or fulfill medications. Talk to a licensed clinician about whether Wegovy is appropriate for you. Pricing reflects publicly verified rates as of June 22; verify with the manufacturer or your prescriber before committing.
