Where can I find Wegovy in stock? 

Wegovy, like Ozempic, is an injectable medication. Wegovy (semaglutide) is approved for weight loss. While Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes but is being used off-label for weight loss. They’re both so successful for weight loss that the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, has struggled to keep up with demand. That’s left many people wondering “Where can I find Wegovy in stock?” 

If you’re wondering where to find Wegovy, or Ozempic, there are options. Read on for the ultimate guide to finding Wegovy. 

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What is Wegovy?

Wegovy (semaglutide) is a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2021 to help people lose weight loss and maintain weight loss. It’s intended for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more or a BMI or 27 or more who have a weight-related medical problem. It can also be used in children over 12 with a BMI in the 95th percentile for their age and weight. Anyone using Wegovy should follow a reduced-calorie diet and do more exercise. 

It was developed after Ozempic (semaglutide), which was approved to help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes in 2017, and found to cause weight loss. Novo Nordisk developed Wegovy, which is similar to, but not interchangeable, with Ozempic to tap into the weight loss market.

Wegovy is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. GLP-1 medications help with weight loss by mimicking a natural hormone in the body called GLP-1. GLP-1 reduces cravings and makes people feel full sooner and longer so they eat less.

Wegovy is taken as a self-administered injection once a week. 

In clinical trials, participants on Wegovy lost 14.9% of their initial body weight in 68 weeks. That’s more than 37 pounds for a 250-pound person. It’s the potential to lose weight that’s led to Wegovy’s huge popularity and people struggling to find it.

Why is Wegovy out of stock?

The supply of Wegovy became a problem in 2022 due to the popularity of the drug taking the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, by surprise. Demand outstripped its production capabilities. And patients were unable to find the medication. 

Wegovy comes in 0.25-, 0.5-, 1.0-, 1.7-, and 2.4-milligram single-use pens. Users start at the lowest dose and increase to the next dose once a month until reaching either a 1.7- or 2.4-milligram maintenance dose.  

When supply became an issue, Novo Nordisk originally focused on ensuring maintenance doses were available, so current users could find the medication. Since then, Novo Nordisk has worked to ramp up production for all doses. 

As of the time of publication, Novo Nordisk reported that it was shipping all doses. The FDA however, reported ongoing shortages of all but the 2.4 milligram doses. 

Tip! Before you and your provider plan to have you start on Wegovy, check with local and/or online pharmacies to make sure you can find it, especially since the starting doses remain the hardest to find.

Where can I find Wegovy in stock? 

Your options for finding Wegovy are pretty standard. You need to find a pharmacy with inventory on hand. There are a few ways to do that. For instance, larger, chain pharmacies with greater buying power and inventories in general are more likely to have stock on hand. 

Options for finding Wegovy include the following. 

Ask your provider

Your provider might have ideas for where to find Wegovy. They may be able to connect you with pharmacies in your area or online pharmacies that can fill the prescription. They may have worked with other patients who’ve struggled to get Wegovy and have ideas based on their experiences. 

Online pharmacies

Online pharmacies, especially larger ones like amazonpharmacy.com, walgreens.com, cvs.com, and riteaid.com, are more likely to have large inventories on hand compared to a smaller local pharmacy. They offer the added benefit of delivering your medication right to your door too. 

Still, call your preferred online pharmacy to make sure they have a reliable current and ongoing supply, especially if you’re just starting to take it.

Also, make sure your chosen online pharmacy is legit. See the FDA’s recommendations for how to safely buy medicines from an online pharmacy.

Local pharmacies

Your local pharmacy may be able to fill your Wegovy prescription. As with online pharmacies, the larger the pharmacy, the more likely they’ll have a reliable inventory of Wegovy. Larger chain pharmacies — even locally — like Walgreens, CVS, Target, or RiteAid, may be a better option than your local grocery store pharmacy. Still, call and talk to them first.

Tip! If you’re already taking Wegovy and your regular pharmacy can’t refill your prescription, you can transfer your prescription to another pharmacy.

Doctor’s office or clinics

Some doctor’s offices and clinics have pharmacies at their facilities. These pharmacies function like retail or independent pharmacies and are often partnered with a larger retail pharmacy. Some are independently owned. You may be able to find Wegovy at one of these pharmacies. If your doctor’s office or clinic does have a pharmacy, they can let you know if Wegovy is in stock. 

Foreign pharmacies

According to Business Insider, some consumers in the U.S. have been able to get certain medications from pharmacies in Canada and Mexico. Please note that it may be illegal to import drugs or devices into the U.S. for personal use. Products from outside the U.S. are often not approved by the the FDA for use and sale in the U.S. even if approved in the country it’s shipping from.

Also, pharmacies in other countries aren’t regulated by the FDA. If you have to turn to a foreign pharmacy, follow the same precautions outlined in the FDA’s webpage linked above.

If in the end, you can’t find a pharmacy where you can get Wegovy, ask your healthcare practitioner about other options.

Wegovy alternatives and their availability

You might be able to find an alternative to Wegovy that supports your medically supervised weight loss goals. You can seek guidance from your provider about these alternatives, their effectiveness, and how they fit with your weight loss needs. Like Wegovy, all of these medications have potential risks and side effects and health professionals can give you more information. 

Note that if you’re already taking Wegovy, you should not take Saxenda — or any of the alternatives included here — at the same time. 

Wegovy from a compounding pharmacy

Compounding pharmacies use pharmaceutical-grade active ingredients to prepare compounded versions of medications on demand and if they meet requirements outlined in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act. 

While compounded medications should be the same as those made by a drug manufacturer, they aren’t subject to the same FDA testing process and may not contain the same active ingredient as FDA-approved semaglutide medications. They may also be semaglutide sodium or semaglutide acetate, which aren’t the same as semaglutide and aren’t proven to be safe and effective.

Still, you could turn to a reputable compounding pharmacy to get semaglutide. Before you do, talk to your healthcare provider. 

Zepbound (tirzepatide)

If Wegovy isn’t available, Zepbound may be your next best prescription weight loss option. It’s a weekly injection that received FDA approval for weight loss in November 2023. It has a different active ingredient than Wegovy but can ultimately help curb appetite and decrease how much you want to eat. In clinical trials, participants on Zepbound lost 5 to 18% of their body weight in 72 weeks compared to participants taking a placebo.

Saxenda (liraglutide)

Saxenda works similarly to Wegovy and is another injection that can help with weight loss. Saxenda is a daily instead of weekly injection. Data from clinical trials found that participants on Saxenda lost 5 to 10% of their body weight. 

Contrave (bupropion-naltrexone)

Contrave combines two medications, naltrexone and bupropion, to assist with weight loss. Contrave is an oral medication. In clinical trials, a larger percentage of participants on Contrave achieved a 5 to 10% loss of body weight in 56 weeks compared to those taking a placebo.

Xenical and Alli (orlistat)

Orlistat is an oral medication that works by stopping certain enzymes in the stomach and pancreas from breaking down dietary fat. This helps your body absorb less fat, making it easier to lose weight. Orlistat is sold under the brand names Xenical and Alli. Alli is available over the counter. Xenical is available by prescription.

When taken consistently, orlistat stops your body from absorbing about 30% of the fat in your diet. One study found that Xenical use resulted in an average of 2.4% body weight loss in 4 years. 

Qsymia (phentermine-topiramate)

Qsymia is a pill that combines two medicines: phentermine and topiramate. Phentermine helps decrease appetite and how much people eat. Topiramate helps to increase feelings of fullness and suppress appetite. In clinical trials, a majority of participants on Qsymia lost at least 5% of their body weight in 24 weeks.

Medications for people with type 2 diabetes that have been used off-label for weight loss 

There are a handful of medications approved to treat type 2 diabetes that also lead to weight loss and that have been prescribed by providers off-label for weight loss. Using a medication off-label means using it for a purpose other than what it’s approved for. Off-label use still requires a prescription.

Mounjaro (tirzepatide)

Mounjaro is the same medication and ​has the same active ingredient, tirzepatide, as Zepbound. It’s approved to help regulate blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes when used along with diet and exercise. 

While your provider could prescribe Mounjaro instead of Zepbound for weight loss, off-label use isn’t recommended. Both the FDA and insurers are cracking down on medications for people with type 2 diabetes being used off-label for weight loss. Additionally, insurance companies may deny coverage for off-label claims unless the provider provides a strong justification for the use and you get prior authorization.

Ozempic and Rybelsus (semaglutide)

These medications both contain the active ingredient semaglutide, like Wegovy. They’re both approved to help improve control of blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. They aren’t identical to or interchangeable with Wegovy. 

Ozempic is an injection taken weekly. Rybelsus is a pill, essentially an oral form of semaglutide. 

Trulicity (dulaglutide)

Trulicity is an injection. It’s approved in adults with type 2 diabetes to improve blood sugar (glucose) when used along with diet and exercise. It also helps reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (problems having to do with the heart and blood vessels). While it may affect weight, it’s not approved for weight management. 

If you have type 2 diabetes one of these alternatives may help you both lose weight and control your blood sugar. Whether you do or don’t have type 2 diabetes, the first step in finding the right weight loss program for you is to talk to your healthcare provider.

Find a healthcare provider to help with your weight loss needs on  Klarity Health

Whatever your weight loss goals, don’t go it alone. Get the support of a healthcare professional to identify the best weight loss approaches that will work for you. On the Klarity Health platform, find a provider to guide you on your weight loss journey.