Semaglutide Products Compared: Injections and Tablets
Wegovy injection (under the skin) and Wegovy tablets (by mouth) are FDA-approved for weight management in certain people; Ozempic injection, Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus tablets are approved only for adults with type 2 diabetes (checked September 27, 2026). Wegovy and Ozempic both contain the same medicine, semaglutide, but the two brands come in different doses and have separate FDA prescribing information. The weight-loss trials summarized on this page tested Wegovy doses of semaglutide, not Ozempic doses.
Same medicine, different products
Wegovy and Ozempic both contain the same medicine, semaglutide, but the two brands come in different doses and have separate FDA prescribing information. Wegovy injection and Wegovy tablets share one FDA prescribing information document and one Medication Guide [1]. Ozempic injection has its own FDA prescribing information, separate from the Wegovy label [2].
Rybelsus tablets and Ozempic tablets share one FDA prescribing information document, separate from both the Wegovy label and the Ozempic injection label [3].
| Product | Prescribing information |
|---|---|
| Wegovy injection and Wegovy tablets | Wegovy injection and Wegovy tablets share one FDA prescribing information document and one Medication Guide. |
| Ozempic injection | Ozempic injection has its own FDA prescribing information, separate from the Wegovy label. |
| Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus tablets | Rybelsus tablets and Ozempic tablets share one FDA prescribing information document, separate from both the Wegovy label and the Ozempic injection label. |
Which products are FDA-approved for what
Wegovy injection (under the skin) and Wegovy tablets (by mouth) are FDA-approved for weight management in certain people; Ozempic injection, Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus tablets are approved only for adults with type 2 diabetes (checked September 27, 2026). Approved uses differ by semaglutide product. Semaglutide products are sold under three brand names: Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus. Ozempic and Wegovy are different brands of semaglutide, and each of the two brands includes both an injection and a tablet.
The FDA status table lists each semaglutide product with its route and the uses in its prescribing information.
| Product | What it's FDA-approved for |
|---|---|
| Ozempic injection | Ozempic (semaglutide) injection, given under the skin, is FDA-approved, along with diet and exercise, to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. It is also approved to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease, and to lower the risk of kidney function decline, kidney failure and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. It requires a prescription. Source: FDA prescribing information. |
| Ozempic tablets | Ozempic (semaglutide) tablets, taken by mouth, are FDA-approved, along with diet and exercise, to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, and to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for these events. They require a prescription. Source: FDA prescribing information. |
| Rybelsus tablets | Rybelsus (semaglutide) tablets, taken by mouth, are FDA-approved, along with diet and exercise, to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, and to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for these events. They require a prescription. Source: FDA prescribing information. FDA's shortage and discontinuation data list Rybelsus tablets as 'To Be Discontinued' (posted June 4, 2026). |
| Wegovy injection | Wegovy (semaglutide) injection, given under the skin, is FDA-approved, with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, to reduce excess body weight and keep it off long term in adults and children 12 and older with obesity, and in adults with overweight who have at least one weight-related condition. It is also approved to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight. It requires a prescription. Source: FDA prescribing information. Wegovy (semaglutide) injection, given under the skin, is FDA-approved, with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, for noncirrhotic MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis (stages F2 to F3) in adults under FDA's accelerated approval program, based on improvement of MASH and fibrosis. Continued approval may depend on a confirmatory trial. |
| Wegovy tablets | Wegovy (semaglutide) tablets, taken by mouth, are FDA-approved, with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, to reduce excess body weight and keep it off long term in adults with obesity, or in adults with overweight who have at least one weight-related condition, and to lower the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and either obesity or overweight. Wegovy tablets are not approved for MASH or for children. They require a prescription. Source: FDA prescribing information. |
Ozempic injection, Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus tablets are not FDA-approved for weight management. Their approved uses are listed in the FDA status table. Prescribing them for weight management is off-label. For weight management in certain people, together with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, FDA has approved Wegovy injection, given under the skin, and Wegovy tablets, taken by mouth.
Each semaglutide product in the FDA status table is available only with a prescription (checked September 27, 2026).
Regulatory status checked September 27, 2026. Sources: www.accessdata.fda.gov/…/209637s038lbl.pdf; www.accessdata.fda.gov/…/213051Orig1s030lbl.pdf; www.accessdata.fda.gov/…/215256s025lbl.pdf; www.fda.gov/…/fda-clarifies-policies-compounders-national-glp-1-supply-begins-stabilize; public-inspection.federalregister.gov/…/2026-12937.pdf; www.fda.gov/…/fda-proposes-exclude-semaglutide-tirzepatide-and-liraglutide-503b-bulks-list; www.fda.gov/…/fdas-concerns-unapproved-glp-1-drugs-used-weight-loss; www.fda.gov/…/compounding-and-fda-questions-and-answers; www.accessdata.fda.gov/…/218316Orig1s000ltr.pdf; www.accessdata.fda.gov/…/218316s007lbl.pdf
Which product might apply to a person's goal
One brand name can cover more than one semaglutide product, such as an injection and a tablet, and approved uses differ by product. Whether a product is appropriate for a specific person is decided by a licensed clinician using that product's prescribing information.
Doses in each label
The Wegovy injection label starts at 0.25 mg once weekly and raises the dose every 4 weeks, reaching 1.7 mg in weeks 13 through 16. The Wegovy injection label allows the dose to go up to a maximum of 7.2 mg once weekly for adults who have tolerated 2.4 mg for at least 4 weeks, when more weight reduction is clinically indicated.
The Ozempic injection label starts at 0.25 mg once weekly for 4 weeks and then increases the dose to 0.5 mg once weekly.
| Product | Starting dose | Maintenance or strengths | Highest dose / missed dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy injection | Wegovy injection: starts 0.25 mg weekly; 1.7 mg by weeks 13 to 16 | Wegovy injection maintenance: 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg weekly (2.4 mg recommended) | Wegovy injection maximum: 7.2 mg weekly, only after at least 4 weeks on 2.4 mg and if more weight loss is clinically indicated |
| Wegovy tablets | Starts 1.5 mg once daily (days 1 to 30) | Wegovy tablets: 1.5, 4, 9, 25 mg; 25 mg daily maintenance | 25 mg once daily (one tablet per day at most) |
| Ozempic injection | Ozempic injection: starts 0.25 mg weekly, then 0.5 mg | 0.5 mg once weekly; the label allows 1 mg and then 2 mg, each after at least 4 weeks on the previous dose | Ozempic injection highest dose: 2 mg weekly |
| Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus tablets | Rybelsus starts 3 mg once daily; Ozempic tablets start 1.5 mg once daily (days 1 to 30) | Ozempic tablets: 1.5, 4, 9 mg · Rybelsus: 3, 7, 14 mg | Rybelsus up to 14 mg once daily; Ozempic tablets up to 9 mg once daily |
For a single missed dose, the Wegovy injection label says to take the dose only if the next dose is more than 2 days away, while the Ozempic injection label says to take a missed dose within 5 days. The Rybelsus and Ozempic tablet label says Rybelsus tablets and Ozempic tablets are not substitutable on a mg-to-mg basis. The Wegovy label sets out its own steps for switching between Wegovy 2.4 mg injection and Wegovy 25 mg tablets, and a prescriber decides whether to switch.
Dose schedules on this page summarize each product's prescribing information and are not instructions to follow. A prescriber sets and adjusts the dose.
Sources: prescribing information, Section 2 (Dosage and Administration), for Wegovy injection prescribing information, Revised 06/2026; Wegovy tablets prescribing information, Revised 06/2026; Ozempic injection prescribing information, Revised 05/2026; Ozempic tablets prescribing information, Revised 1/2026; Rybelsus tablets prescribing information, Revised 1/2026.
Where the weight-loss evidence comes from
Wegovy's weight-loss evidence comes from clinical trials of semaglutide 2.4 mg once weekly with lifestyle changes, including the STEP 1 [4] and STEP 4 [5] trials. This page covers the Wegovy trials only, and it does not review trials of semaglutide at the doses in the Ozempic label (up to 2 mg once weekly). The weight-loss trials summarized on this page tested Wegovy doses of semaglutide, not Ozempic doses. Trials of semaglutide at Ozempic doses have also reported body weight, mostly in adults with type 2 diabetes. The Wegovy weight-loss results on this page do not apply to those doses or to that population.
In the 68-week STEP 1 trial, which was funded by semaglutide's maker, adults with obesity, or with overweight and a weight-related condition, and without diabetes, who took semaglutide 2.4 mg once weekly lost about 15% of their body weight on average, compared with about 2% on placebo. Results varied from person to person: in the Wegovy prescribing information's 68-week injection trial in 1,961 adults without diabetes, about 1 in 6 people taking Wegovy 2.4 mg (16.5%) did not lose at least 5% of their body weight.
In the SELECT trial, which was funded by semaglutide's maker,[6] adults aged 45 or older with existing heart disease and overweight or obesity, but without diabetes, who took semaglutide 2.4 mg once weekly had about a 20% lower risk of a first heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death, counted together, than those on placebo: 6.5% vs 8% of people had one of these events. In the Wegovy prescribing information's SELECT results, a benefit on cardiovascular death alone was not confirmed (hazard ratio 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.71 to 1.01), and the stroke result alone was not part of the trial's formal testing and its range included no difference (hazard ratio 0.89, 0.72 to 1.11).
Wegovy injection carries a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents. Wegovy injection (under the skin) and Wegovy tablets (by mouth) are FDA-approved for weight management in certain people; Ozempic injection, Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus tablets are approved only for adults with type 2 diabetes (checked September 27, 2026).
The Wegovy label reports a 64-week trial of Wegovy 25 mg tablets in 307 adults with obesity, or with overweight and a weight-related condition, who did not have type 2 diabetes.
In the Wegovy label's 64-week tablet trial, adults taking Wegovy 25 mg tablets lost 13.6% of their body weight on average, compared with 2.4% on placebo. Results varied from person to person: in the Wegovy prescribing information's 64-week tablet trial, about 1 in 4 people taking Wegovy 25 mg tablets (23.7%) did not lose at least 5% of their body weight.
Wegovy tablets carry a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents. Wegovy injection (under the skin) and Wegovy tablets (by mouth) are FDA-approved for weight management in certain people; Ozempic injection, Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus tablets are approved only for adults with type 2 diabetes (checked September 27, 2026).
The Wegovy tablet results and the Wegovy injection results come from different trials, so the two figures are not a head-to-head comparison.
| Product | Weight-loss result | Variability |
|---|---|---|
| Wegovy injection | STEP 1 (68 weeks): about 15% vs about 2% on placebo, on average | Results varied: about 1 in 6 on Wegovy injection (16.5%) did not lose at least 5% |
| Wegovy tablets | Wegovy 25 mg tablets (64 weeks): 13.6% vs 2.4% on placebo, on average | Results varied: about 1 in 4 on Wegovy tablets (23.7%) did not lose at least 5% |
Sources: Wegovy injection prescribing information, Revised 06/2026; Wegovy tablets prescribing information, Revised 06/2026; Ozempic injection prescribing information, Revised 05/2026; Ozempic tablets prescribing information, Revised 1/2026; Rybelsus tablets prescribing information, Revised 1/2026.
Side effects, product by product
According to the Wegovy prescribing information, "adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice." Side-effect percentages from the Wegovy trials describe Wegovy only and are not Ozempic percentages.
| Side effect | Wegovy 2.4 mg vs placebo |
|---|---|
| Nausea | Nausea 44% vs 16% placebo |
| Diarrhea | Diarrhea 30% vs 16% placebo |
| Vomiting | Vomiting 24% vs 6% placebo |
| Constipation | Constipation 24% vs 11% placebo |
Sources: Wegovy injection prescribing information, Revised 06/2026.
In the Wegovy 2.4 mg injection trials, 6.8% of people on Wegovy and 3.2% on placebo stopped treatment because of side effects. In the Wegovy 2.4 mg injection trials, severe stomach and bowel side effects were reported by 4.1% of people on Wegovy vs 0.9% on placebo.
The Wegovy label says the types and frequency of common side effects with Wegovy 25 mg tablets were similar to those in the Wegovy injection trials. In the Wegovy 25 mg tablet trial, 6.9% of people on Wegovy tablets and 5.9% on placebo stopped treatment because of side effects.
The Ozempic injection label lists nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and constipation as its most common side effects, each reported by at least 5% of patients.
The Rybelsus and Ozempic tablet label lists nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting and constipation as its most common side effects, each reported by at least 5% of patients.
| Product | Side effects reported in each label (rates only where this page's sources give them) |
|---|---|
| Wegovy injection | Most common: nausea (44% vs 16% placebo), diarrhea (30% vs 16%), vomiting (24% vs 6%), constipation (24% vs 11%) |
| Wegovy tablets | Similar in type and frequency to the Wegovy injection trials, per the Wegovy label; stopped for side effects 6.9% vs 5.9% on placebo |
| Ozempic injection | Ozempic injection, most common (≥5%): nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation |
| Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus tablets | Rybelsus/Ozempic tablets, most common (≥5%): nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation |
Sources: Wegovy injection prescribing information, Revised 06/2026; Wegovy tablets prescribing information, Revised 06/2026; Ozempic injection prescribing information, Revised 05/2026; Ozempic tablets prescribing information, Revised 1/2026; Rybelsus tablets prescribing information, Revised 1/2026.
Shared safety facts across the labels
The Wegovy label, the Ozempic injection label, and the Rybelsus and Ozempic tablet label each carry a boxed warning that semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents, and that whether semaglutide causes these tumors in humans is unknown because the human relevance of the rodent tumors has not been determined.
The Wegovy label, the Ozempic injection label, and the Rybelsus and Ozempic tablet label all list a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or MEN 2, as a reason not to use semaglutide.
The Wegovy prescribing information, which covers both Wegovy injection and Wegovy tablets, also warns about acute pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, low blood sugar (with a higher risk when taken with insulin or a sulfonylurea), kidney injury from dehydration, severe stomach and bowel reactions, serious allergic reactions, diabetic eye complications in people with type 2 diabetes, a faster heart rate, and inhaling stomach contents during anesthesia or deep sedation.
The Ozempic injection prescribing information warns about acute pancreatitis, diabetic eye complications, low blood sugar when used with insulin or a drug such as a sulfonylurea, kidney injury from dehydration, severe stomach and bowel reactions, serious allergic reactions, gallbladder disease, and inhaling stomach contents during anesthesia or deep sedation.
The Rybelsus and Ozempic tablet prescribing information warns about acute pancreatitis, diabetic eye complications, low blood sugar when used with insulin or a drug such as a sulfonylurea, kidney injury from dehydration, severe stomach and bowel reactions, serious allergic reactions, gallbladder disease, and inhaling stomach contents during anesthesia or deep sedation.
The Wegovy label, the Ozempic injection label, and the Rybelsus and Ozempic tablet label all advise stopping semaglutide at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy because semaglutide stays in the body for a long time.
The Wegovy label says breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with Wegovy tablets, and says there are no data on semaglutide injection in human milk. The Rybelsus and Ozempic tablet label says breastfeeding is not recommended.
| Topic | What the labels say |
|---|---|
| Boxed warning | All three labels: boxed warning on thyroid C-cell tumors (rodents; human relevance unknown) |
| Contraindications | Do not use with personal or family history of MTC, or MEN 2 (all three labels) |
| Other label warnings (Section 5) | All three labels also warn about pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, low blood sugar, kidney injury from dehydration, severe stomach and bowel reactions, serious allergic reactions, diabetic eye complications and inhaling stomach contents during anesthesia; the Wegovy label also warns about a faster heart rate |
| Pregnancy | Stop at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy (all three labels) |
| Breastfeeding | Not recommended with Wegovy tablets or with Rybelsus/Ozempic tablets; no data for Wegovy injection; Ozempic injection not shown on this page |
Sources: Wegovy injection prescribing information, Revised 06/2026; Wegovy tablets prescribing information, Revised 06/2026; Ozempic injection prescribing information, Revised 05/2026; Ozempic tablets prescribing information, Revised 1/2026; Rybelsus tablets prescribing information, Revised 1/2026.
If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or seek emergency care. Report side effects to FDA MedWatch.
Next steps
Whether a product is appropriate for a specific person is decided by a licensed clinician using that product's prescribing information. Completing an intake form or making a payment does not guarantee a prescription. You can connect with a licensed provider to ask about an evaluation.
Find a Provider · Connect With a Licensed Provider A licensed clinician decides whether treatment is appropriate. A prescription is not guaranteed.
Full FDA and regulatory status for semaglutide →
Semaglutide for weight loss: overview →
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration / Novo Nordisk. WEGOVY (semaglutide) injection and WEGOVY (semaglutide) tablets, Prescribing Information and Medication Guide. Revised 06/2026. Drugs@FDA. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2026/215256s025lbl.pdf. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration / Novo Nordisk. OZEMPIC (semaglutide) injection, Prescribing Information. Revised 05/2026. Drugs@FDA. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2026/209637s038lbl.pdf. Accessed 2026-09-27.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration / Novo Nordisk. RYBELSUS (semaglutide) tablets and OZEMPIC (semaglutide) tablets, Prescribing Information. Revised 1/2026. Drugs@FDA. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2026/213051Orig1s030lbl.pdf. Accessed 2026-09-27.
- Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2021;384(11):989-1002. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2032183. PMID 33567185. Accessed 2026-09-27.
- Rubino D, Abrahamsson N, Davies M, et al. Effect of Continued Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Placebo on Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: The STEP 4 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2021;325(14):1414-1425. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.3224. PMID 33755728. Accessed 2026-09-27.
- Lincoff AM, Brown-Frandsen K, Colhoun HM, et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2023;389(24):2221-2232. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2307563. PMID 37952131. Accessed 2026-09-27.