Wegovy vs. Ozempic: Docs weigh in
Key Takeaways
Ozempic is approved for treating type 2 diabetes, not for helping people lose weight.
While weight loss can be a beneficial side effect for some people, prescribing Ozempic solely for weight loss is an off-label use of the drug.
Some people consider Ozempic a miracle weight loss drug. Since the medication is not approved strictly for weight loss purposes, however, some doctors warn against framing it as such.[]
Ozempic is a brand name for the GLP-1 agonist semaglutide, which has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help manage blood sugar levels and treat people with type 2 diabetes.[] Semaglutide is also sold under the brand name Wegovy and is approved by the FDA for weight loss in this formulation.[]
Michael Snyder, MD, an in-house obesity specialist at FuturHealth and Medical Director of the Bariatric Surgery Center at Rose Medical Center, says that the “key difference” in Ozempic’s and Wegovy’s FDA-approved usages “lies in their dosage and the clinical trials that led to their approval.”
Wegovy vs. Ozempic
Dr. Snyder explains that Wegovy is prescribed at a higher dose than Ozempic, which—through clinical trials—has been proven effective at promoting sustainable weight loss. “This makes it appropriate for patients with obesity or those who are overweight with certain related health issues,” Dr. Snyder says.
Dr. Snyder adds that, in contrast, Ozempic’s primary goal is not weight reduction. The drug has instead been studied and approved to help with glycemic control, or managing blood sugar levels, in people with type 2 diabetes.
“While patients may experience weight loss, the dosing and therapeutic goals of Ozempic are specific to managing blood sugar,” Dr. Snyder says.
He adds that “prescribing Ozempic for weight loss without clear guidelines via the FDA approval process is an off-label use.”
Could Ozempic be approved for weight loss in the future?
Although Ozempic isn’t currently approved for weight loss, Dr. Snyder anticipates that it could be in the future.
“I believe that it is just a matter of time until [Ozempic’s] use is widened to treat obesity,” Dr. Snyder says. “Other than the dosing differences, the mechanism of action of these drugs is really the same.”
Each drug is tested under specific conditions to ensure safety and efficacy for particular populations.
Dr. Snyder adds that “it is common to use all formulations of semaglutide for weight control, and it is unlikely that using the different brands of what are, in reality, the same medications will have different results,” he says. “It is all about the FDA approval process and potential insurance coverage issues that bring up any potential controversy in this arena.”
Know your patients' health goals
For now, however, Dr. Snyder advises that doctors stick to FDA-approved prescriptions and direct patients to the drug best studied for their condition or goals.
“For those needing to manage weight, Wegovy is a better-studied option, as it has gone through rigorous trials and is dosed appropriately for long-term weight loss treatment,” Dr. Snyder says.
Additionally, Dr. Snyder says, treatment for patients with diabetes should not only focus on weight loss, as “using diabetes medications solely for weight loss could obscure other health risks and lead to unintended consequences.”
What this means for you
Ozempic may seem like a miracle weight loss drug, but in reality it is not approved solely to help people lose weight. Some doctors think that Ozempic will be approved for weight loss usages in the future. For now, however, it is important to prescribe Ozempic for its FDA-approved use: treating type 2 diabetes.