Wegovy in the Philippines: prescription, legal access and what to know

Not yet medically reviewed. Fact-checked against the sources listed below on October 7, 2026.How we write and review

Last updated October 7, 2026

Yes, as a prescription medicine. Wegovy (semaglutide) is a once-weekly injection approved in the US for weight reduction and other uses. It is listed as a registered prescription drug in the FDA Philippines Verification Portal (checked October 7, 2026). Under RA 10918, a licensed pharmacist may dispense it only with a valid prescription.

Key takeaways

Wegovy solution for injection is listed as a registered prescription drug (Rx) in the FDA Philippines Verification Portal, under ten registration records valid on October 7, 2026.
The Philippine package insert for Wegovy (linked from FDA Philippines Verification Portal record BR-1468) covers weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with a weight-related condition.
The US Wegovy injection label covers weight reduction and long-term maintenance, lowering the risk of major heart events in adults with heart disease and obesity or overweight, and a liver condition (MASH) under accelerated approval.
The US Wegovy label (revised 6/2026) starts at 0.25 mg once weekly and steps up every 4 weeks, with a recommended adult maintenance dose of 2.4 mg. Your doctor sets your dose.
In STEP 1, adults without diabetes lost 14.9% of body weight on average over 68 weeks with semaglutide 2.4 mg, compared with 2.4% on placebo.
In the STEP 1 extension, people regained two-thirds of their earlier weight loss in the year after semaglutide and the lifestyle program stopped.

What Wegovy is

What is Wegovy? It is a brand of semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. In the US it comes as a once-weekly injection and as a once-daily tablet.

The US Wegovy label explains that GLP-1 is a natural regulator of appetite and calorie intake, and that the GLP-1 receptor is found in several brain areas involved in appetite. Semaglutide lowers calorie intake, likely by affecting appetite. The label says it lowers body weight with more fat mass lost than lean mass.

The European Medicines Agency describes it as acting like the natural hormone GLP-1, increasing feelings of fullness while reducing food intake, hunger and cravings.

Semaglutide is also sold as Ozempic, a separate brand with its own label and approved uses. For the molecule as a whole, see our semaglutide guide.

Approved uses on each regulator's label

What is Wegovy approved for? It depends on the regulator and the form.

Regulator and form	Approved uses
US FDA, Wegovy injection	To reduce excess body weight and keep it off long term in adults and children aged 12 and older with obesity, or adults with overweight and at least one weight-related condition. To reduce the risk of major heart events in adults with established heart disease and obesity or overweight. To treat noncirrhotic MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (stages F2 to F3) in adults, under accelerated approval. All with a reduced calorie diet and more physical activity
US FDA, Wegovy tablets	To reduce the risk of major heart events in adults with established heart disease and obesity or overweight, and to reduce excess body weight and keep it off long term in adults with obesity, or overweight with at least one weight-related condition. With a reduced calorie diet and more physical activity
European Medicines Agency	Weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with at least one weight-related condition
FDA Philippines (Philippine package insert)	Weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with at least one weight-related condition, such as prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, obstructive sleep apnea or heart disease. The FlexTouch inserts also cover adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity and body weight above 60 kg. With a reduced calorie diet and more physical activity

The Philippine row comes from the Philippine package insert for Wegovy (linked from FDA Philippines Verification Portal record BR-1468), which is also linked for the other FlexTouch records, BR-1469 to BR-1472. The leaflet linked for the single-dose pens (BR-1473 to BR-1477) covers adults only. The FlexTouch insert describes heart risk reduction and heart failure only as trial results, not as approved uses.

The US Wegovy label says using Wegovy with other semaglutide products or with any other GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended.

Is Wegovy registered in the Philippines?

Yes. Wegovy is listed as a registered prescription drug in the FDA Philippines Verification Portal (checked October 7, 2026). The portal lists ten Wegovy records, all solution for injection under the skin, all classified "Prescription Drug (Rx)" and all valid on that date. The importer and distributor is Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals (Philippines), Inc. The manufacturer is Novo Nordisk A/S for some records and Catalent Belgium for others.

The earliest issuance date on these records is February 28, 2024. Whether that was the first Philippine approval date was not confirmed. The Philippine package insert for Wegovy (linked from FDA Philippines Verification Portal record BR-1468) covers weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with a weight-related condition, and in adolescents aged 12 and older with obesity and body weight above 60 kg.

You can check the current status yourself on the FDA Philippines verification portal at verification.fda.gov.ph.

FDA Philippines registration records

These are the Wegovy records listed in the FDA Philippines Verification Portal on October 7, 2026. The strengths are the registered product forms, not dosing advice. Your doctor sets your dose.

Brand	Form	Strength as registered	Registration number	Valid until
Wegovy	Solution for injection (SC)	0.25 mg/0.37 mL (0.68 mg/mL)	BR-1468	February 28, 2029
Wegovy	Solution for injection (SC)	0.25 mg/0.5 mL (0.5 mg/mL)	BR-1477	May 22, 2029
Wegovy	Solution for injection (SC)	0.5 mg/0.37 mL (1.34 mg/mL)	BR-1470	February 28, 2029
Wegovy	Solution for injection (SC)	0.5 mg/0.5 mL (1 mg/mL)	BR-1476	May 22, 2029
Wegovy	Solution for injection (SC)	1 mg/0.75 mL (1.34 mg/mL)	BR-1471	February 28, 2029
Wegovy	Solution for injection (SC)	1 mg/0.5 mL (2 mg/mL)	BR-1475	May 22, 2029
Wegovy	Solution for injection (SC)	1.7 mg/0.75 mL (2.27 mg/mL)	BR-1472	February 28, 2029
Wegovy	Solution for injection (SC)	1.7 mg/0.75 mL (2.27 mg/mL)	BR-1474	May 22, 2029
Wegovy	Solution for injection (SC)	2.4 mg/0.75 mL (3.2 mg/mL)	BR-1469	February 28, 2029
Wegovy	Solution for injection (SC)	2.4 mg/0.75 mL (3.2 mg/mL)	BR-1473	May 22, 2029

All ten are classified "Prescription Drug (Rx)".

How to get a Wegovy prescription legally

How do you get Wegovy legally in the Philippines? With a valid prescription, dispensed by a licensed pharmacist through a retail drug outlet licensed by FDA Philippines.

The prescription. Wegovy is listed as a prescription drug (Rx) in the FDA Philippines Verification Portal (checked October 7, 2026). RA 10918 defines prescription medicines as medicines a pharmacist may dispense only on a valid prescription from a physician, dentist or veterinarian.

The pharmacy. Under the Philippine Pharmacy Act (RA 10918), prescription medicines are dispensed only by a licensed pharmacist with a valid prescription. Pharmaceutical products may be made available to the public only through a retail drug outlet licensed by FDA Philippines. Dispensing includes the pharmacist reading, validating and interpreting the prescription, and counseling the patient.

Online consultations. DOH-DILG-PhilHealth Joint Administrative Order No. 2021-0001 sets guidelines for telemedicine. Under it:

Only licensed physicians may practice telemedicine.
The physician decides, using professional judgment, whether telemedicine is appropriate, and may ask for a face-to-face consultation at any step.
The JAO also says first-time consultations, emergencies and cases that need face-to-face assessment should not be managed using telemedicine.
An electronic prescription must carry the physician's digital signature, name and license number.
Pharmaceutical outlets must dispense as prescribed by a valid electronic prescription, which counts as a written prescription. Pharmacists may verify it with the physician.

Sellers. Under the FDA Act of 2009 (RA 9711), selling, distributing or retailing any drug without an FDA License to Operate is prohibited, and so is selling a health product that requires FDA registration but is not registered.

How Wegovy is taken, and pen types

How is Wegovy used? The US Wegovy label says the injection is given under the skin once a week, on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without meals. Injection sites are the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. The EU product information says it should not be given into a vein or a muscle.

The US label describes these forms:

Form	What the US Wegovy label says
Single-dose pen	One dose per pen
Single-dose syringe	Prefilled, with an integrated needle
Wegovy FlexTouch pen	Single-patient-use pen holding 4 weekly doses
Tablets	Taken by mouth once daily on an empty stomach in the morning with up to 4 ounces of water, swallowed whole, then a wait of at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other oral medicines

The FDA Philippines Verification Portal lists Wegovy as a solution for injection. A portal search for "Wegovy" on October 7, 2026 returned no tablet record.

The US label dose schedule

What dose schedule does the label set? The US Wegovy label (revised 6/2026) starts low and steps up every 4 weeks, to reduce the risk of stomach side effects. This is the label schedule for the injection, quoted for information. Your doctor sets your dose.

Weeks	US Wegovy label, revised 6/2026 (once-weekly injection)
Weeks 1 to 4	0.25 mg (starting dose)
Weeks 5 to 8	0.5 mg
Weeks 9 to 12	1 mg
Weeks 13 to 16	1.7 mg
Week 17 onward	Maintenance dose for the indication (below)

Use	Maintenance dose on the US Wegovy label
Weight reduction, adults	2.4 mg (recommended) or 1.7 mg once weekly. If 2.4 mg is tolerated for at least 4 weeks and more weight reduction is clinically indicated, it may be increased to a maximum of 7.2 mg once weekly
Weight reduction, children aged 12 and older	2.4 mg (recommended) or 1.7 mg once weekly
Heart risk reduction, adults	2.4 mg (recommended) or 1.7 mg once weekly
MASH, adults	2.4 mg once weekly. If not tolerated, 1.7 mg, with re-escalation to 2.4 mg considered

The label also says:

If a dose is not tolerated during the step-up, consider delaying the next step for 4 weeks.
Consider treatment response and tolerability when choosing the maintenance dose.
In people with diabetes, monitor blood sugar before starting and during treatment.

These numbers come from the US label. They are not instructions for you. Your doctor sets your dose.

Key trials behind Wegovy's uses

What did the trials show? The STEP trials tested semaglutide 2.4 mg, the recommended Wegovy maintenance dose, for weight. SELECT tested it for heart outcomes.

Trial	Who took part	Length	Mean weight change, semaglutide 2.4 mg vs placebo
STEP 1 (NEJM 2021)	1,961 adults with obesity or overweight, no diabetes	68 weeks	-14.9% vs -2.4%
STEP 2 (Lancet 2021)	1,210 adults with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes	68 weeks	-9.6% vs -3.4%
STEP 3 (JAMA 2021)	611 adults without diabetes, with intensive behavioral therapy	68 weeks	-16.0% vs -5.7%
STEP 5 (Nat Med 2022)	304 adults with obesity or overweight, no diabetes	104 weeks	-15.2% vs -2.6%

In STEP 1, 86.4% on semaglutide lost 5% or more of their weight, compared with 31.5% on placebo. In STEP 5, weight fell through week 68 with semaglutide and then reached a plateau.

Heart and heart failure.

Trial	Who took part	Main result
SELECT (NEJM 2023)	17,604 adults aged 45 or older with heart disease and a BMI of 27 or more, no diabetes; mean follow-up 39.8 months	Heart death, nonfatal heart attack or nonfatal stroke: 6.5% vs 8.0% on placebo (hazard ratio 0.80)
STEP-HFpEF (NEJM 2023)	529 people with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and a BMI of 30 or more, 52 weeks	Heart failure symptom score (KCCQ) improved by 16.6 vs 8.7 points; weight change -13.3% vs -2.6%

In SELECT, side effects led 16.6% on semaglutide to stop permanently, compared with 8.2% on placebo.

What happens if you stop

What happens to weight after stopping? Two trials looked at this.

STEP 1 extension. At week 68, semaglutide and the lifestyle program were stopped, and 327 people were followed for another year. They regained two-thirds of their earlier weight loss by week 120, leaving a net loss of 5.6% from the start, compared with 0.1% for placebo. Most heart and metabolic improvements moved back towards baseline.
STEP 4. After 20 weeks on semaglutide, people switched to placebo gained 6.9% over the next 48 weeks, while those who continued lost a further 7.9%.

The STEP 1 extension authors wrote that the findings suggest ongoing treatment is required to maintain improvements in weight and health. Your doctor can discuss what this means for you.

Side effects

What side effects are most common? The US Wegovy label lists these as reported in 5% or more of adults or children aged 12 and older:

Group	Side effects on the US Wegovy label
Stomach and gut	Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, indigestion, bloating, burping, flatulence, gastroenteritis, reflux
Other	Headache, fatigue, dizziness, dysesthesia (altered skin sensation), hair loss
In type 2 diabetes	Low blood sugar

How often in trials. Stomach side effects with semaglutide 2.4 mg compared with placebo:

Trial	Semaglutide 2.4 mg	Placebo
STEP 2	63.5%	34.3%
STEP 3	82.8%	63.2%
STEP 5	82.2%	53.9%

In STEP 1, nausea and diarrhea were the most common, and were typically short-lived and mild to moderate. Stomach side effects led 4.5% on semaglutide to stop, compared with 0.8% on placebo.

The US Wegovy label also reports a mean rise in resting heart rate of 1 to 4 beats per minute compared with placebo in its adult weight trials.

Serious warnings

Which warnings matter most? These come from the US Wegovy label, unless another label is named.

Warning	What the US Wegovy label says
Boxed warning: thyroid tumors	Semaglutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents. It is unknown whether it causes them in humans, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)
Who must not use it	People with a personal or family history of MTC, people with MEN 2, and people with a prior serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or its ingredients
Pancreatitis	Acute pancreatitis, including fatal cases, has been seen with GLP-1 receptor agonists, including Wegovy. If pancreatitis is suspected, stop Wegovy
Gallbladder disease	Gallstones in 1.6% on Wegovy injection vs 0.7% on placebo; gallbladder inflammation in 0.6% vs 0.2%, in adult weight trials
Low blood sugar	Higher risk, including severe low blood sugar, with insulin or a sulfonylurea
Kidney injury	Reports of acute kidney injury, mostly linked to dehydration from stomach side effects
Diabetic eye disease	People with a history of diabetic retinopathy should be monitored
Pregnancy	May cause harm to an unborn baby. Stop if pregnant and using it for weight reduction, and stop at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy

From the US Ozempic label, which contains the same molecule: serious allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis and angioedema have been reported; pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or deep sedation has been reported in people on GLP-1 receptor agonists, so tell your healthcare provider about any planned surgery or procedure; and Ozempic is not recommended in people with severe gastroparesis.

Your doctor checks these points before prescribing.

How to store Wegovy

How should Wegovy be kept? The Philippine package inserts give these rules:

Form	Storage on the Philippine package insert
FlexTouch pen (BR-1468 insert)	"Store in a refrigerator (2°C to 8°C). Keep away from the cooling element. Do not freeze." After first use: "6 weeks. Store below 30°C or in a refrigerator (2°C to 8°C)." Keep the pen cap on to protect it from light
Single-dose pen (BR-1473 leaflet)	Store in a refrigerator at 2°C to 8°C. Do not freeze. "Wegovy® may be stored unrefrigerated for up to 28 days at a temperature not above 30°C. Discard the pen if it has been out of the refrigerator for more than 28 days." Keep the pen in the original carton to protect it from light

The US Wegovy label gives these rules. For the FlexTouch pen after first use, it allows 56 days rather than 6 weeks. The Philippine package insert applies to products registered in the Philippines.

Form	Storage on the US Wegovy label
Single-dose pen or syringe	Refrigerator at 2 to 8 C. If needed, before the cap is removed, up to 28 days at 8 to 30 C. Protect from light, keep in the original carton until use, discard after use
FlexTouch pen	Refrigerator at 2 to 8 C before first use. After first use, 56 days at 15 to 30 C or in a refrigerator. Keep the cap on, store without a needle attached, use a new needle for each injection
Tablets	20 to 25 C, with short periods at 15 to 30 C allowed, in the original bottle in a dry place

For the injection, do not freeze, do not use if it has been frozen, and do not store it in the freezer or right next to the refrigerator cooling element.

The US FDA advises not using any injectable GLP-1 medicine that arrives warm or without enough refrigeration.

Spotting unregistered or fake products

How can you tell a product may not be genuine? Regulators give these signals:

Check registration. FDA Philippines tells the public to check whether a product is registered on its verification portal or its list of verified unregistered health products. Wegovy is listed there as a registered prescription drug (checked October 7, 2026).
Counterfeits. The US FDA says counterfeit drugs could contain the wrong ingredient, too little, too much or no active ingredient, or other harmful ingredients.
"Research" labels. The US FDA has warned companies that illegally sold unapproved semaglutide and similar drugs falsely labeled "for research purposes" or "not for human consumption".
Warm deliveries. The US FDA advises not using any injectable GLP-1 medicine that arrives warm or without enough refrigeration.

A search of the FDA Philippines website for "Wegovy" and "semaglutide" on October 7, 2026 found no advisory naming either. This was not a check of every advisory.

Frequently asked questions

Is Wegovy available in the Philippines?

Yes, as a prescription medicine. Wegovy is listed as a registered prescription drug in the FDA Philippines Verification Portal (checked October 7, 2026). Under RA 10918, it is dispensed by a licensed pharmacist with a valid prescription.

Is Wegovy FDA approved in the Philippines?

Yes. Wegovy solution for injection is listed as a registered prescription drug (Rx) in the FDA Philippines Verification Portal, under ten records valid on October 7, 2026. The earliest issuance date on these records is February 28, 2024. The Philippine package insert for Wegovy (linked from FDA Philippines Verification Portal record BR-1468) covers weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 to under 30 with a weight-related condition.

Do I need a prescription for Wegovy?

Yes. Wegovy is listed as a prescription drug (Rx) in the FDA Philippines Verification Portal (checked October 7, 2026). Under the Philippine Pharmacy Act (RA 10918), prescription medicines are dispensed only by a licensed pharmacist with a valid prescription from a physician, dentist or veterinarian.

What is the difference between Wegovy and Ozempic?

Both contain semaglutide, but they are separate brands with separate labels. In the US, Ozempic is approved for adults with type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy injection is approved for weight reduction, heart risk reduction in adults with heart disease and obesity or overweight, and MASH. The US Wegovy label goes up to higher doses than the 2 mg maximum on the US Ozempic label.

Who is Wegovy approved for in the US?

The US Wegovy injection label covers adults and children aged 12 and older with obesity, and adults with overweight and at least one weight-related condition, together with a reduced calorie diet and more physical activity. It also covers heart risk reduction in adults with established heart disease and obesity or overweight, and noncirrhotic MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis in adults.

How much weight did people lose in the Wegovy trials?

In STEP 1, 1,961 adults with obesity or overweight and no diabetes lost 14.9% of body weight on average over 68 weeks with semaglutide 2.4 mg, compared with 2.4% on placebo. In STEP 2, adults with type 2 diabetes lost 9.6% compared with 3.4%. Results differ between people.

What happens if I stop Wegovy?

In the STEP 1 extension, people regained two-thirds of their earlier weight loss in the year after semaglutide 2.4 mg and the lifestyle program stopped, and most heart and metabolic improvements moved back towards baseline. In STEP 4, people switched to placebo gained 6.9%, while those who continued lost a further 7.9%.

How is Wegovy taken?

The US Wegovy label says the injection is given under the skin once a week, on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without meals, in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. Your doctor sets your dose.

What are the most common side effects of Wegovy?

The US Wegovy label lists nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, bloating, burping, flatulence, reflux and hair loss, among others. Low blood sugar is listed in people with type 2 diabetes. In STEP 1, STEP 2 and STEP 5, most stomach side effects were mild to moderate.

Are Wegovy tablets available in the Philippines?

Wegovy tablets are approved in the US, taken by mouth once daily. An FDA Philippines Verification Portal search for "Wegovy" on October 7, 2026 returned only solution for injection records, and no tablet record. Check the portal for the current status or ask your doctor.

How should Wegovy be stored?

The Philippine package inserts say a FlexTouch pen, after first use, keeps for 6 weeks below 30°C or in a refrigerator, and a single-dose pen may be stored unrefrigerated for up to 28 days, not above 30°C. The US Wegovy label allows 56 days for the FlexTouch pen after first use. The Philippine insert applies to products registered in the Philippines. Do not freeze it.

Does this page list Wegovy prices?

No. This page does not list Wegovy prices.

Sources

This content is for education only and is not medical advice. Talk to a licensed doctor before starting any treatment.