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Is Saxenda better than Ozempic?

However, the most important difference between the two is, that Saxenda is licenced for use as weight loss medication in the UK and Ozempic is not. Unfortunately, there are a few unscrupulous websites and weight loss clinics, that are selling Ozempic, putting profit before safety.

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Posted

What is Ozempic?

Recently, the media have been promoting a product called Ozempic and have quoted many success stories from people who have achieved dramatic weight loss by using it. However, Ozempic is not licensed for weight loss and is actually licenced for use in the UK, to control type 2 diabetes.

Is there an alternative to Ozempic?

Yes, there is a very effective product called Saxenda, this is licenced in the UK for weight loss by the MHRA which is available now, to help make your weight loss journey much more successful.

From only £50 per pen

Saxenda dramatically reduces your appetite and combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle can help you to achieve your weight loss goal.

What is the main difference between Ozempic and Saxenda?

On reading the media articles it would appear, that the main difference between Saxenda and Ozempic, is that Saxenda is a daily injection and Ozempic is a weekly injection. However, the most important difference between the two is, that Saxenda is licenced for use as weight loss medication in the UK and Ozempic is not. Unfortunately, there are a few unscrupulous websites and weight loss clinics, that are selling Ozempic, putting profit before safety.

Is Ozempic safe and legal for weight loss?

Before a medicine can be widely used in the UK, it must first be granted a license. Licences are only granted if strict safety and quality standards are met. In the UK, licences are granted by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). For more detail see the "MHRA Licence" section below. In other words, Ozempic has not undergone clinical trials to see if it is effective and safe in treating weight loss, so does not have a product license in the UK for treating obesity. Ozempic has a product licence for controlling Type 2 diabetes, not for weight loss. It contains the active substance Liraglutide which helps aid adults with excess weight ( BMI ≥28 ), who also have weight-related medical problems or those with obesity (BMI ≥30), to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Will Ozempic be available in the future for weight loss?

In fact, Ozempic will never be granted a product licence for weight loss, as it is a brand name. It is the active ingredient in Ozempic called Semaglutide, that is currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of weight loss. Semaglutide has now been granted a product licence for weight loss under the brand name of Wegovy and will be a different dosage to that used for diabetic control. We understand from the latest information that Wegovy will become available in the UK during the Spring of 2023. As soon as Wegovy available we will supply it as an alternative to Saxenda.

In the meantime, it is safer to use the licenced product Saxenda.

From only £50 per pen

Medically reviewed by

Superintendent pharmacist Margaret Hudson BSc(Hons) MRPharmS

16 February 2021 and updated 21 September 2022 and updated 21 November 2022

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What happens when I stop Saxenda?

Saxenda is not an addictive medication, so you will not get withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it. However, the changes in the hunger hormones in your body may impact your digestive system for a few days and can cause sickness.

Like all medications, it is possible to get side effects when you take Saxenda. Whether you get side effects and how severely they affect you varies from person to person. Side effects are listed in categories depending on how many people record the symptoms. This gives you a good idea of how common or rare the side effects are. As Saxenda impacts your digestive system, many of the common side effects that people report affect your stomach, bowels and a general feeling of wellness.

Common side effects

Very common side effects of taking Saxenda may impact more than 1 in 10 people and usually clear up within a few days of starting to take the medication:

feeling or being sick

diarrhoea

constipation

headache

If you are feeling or being sick, try the following:

eat foods with water in them (like soup)

eat bland foods (like crackers)

don’t lie down after you eat

take fresh air after you eat

Common side effects may affect up to 1 in 10 people and include:

skin reaction at the injection site

tiredness

difficulty sleeping

dizziness

stomach pain

heartburn

flatulence

change of taste

dry mouth

low blood sugar (called hypoglycemia)

change in enzyme levels in your blood (this can only be picked up with a blood test)

gallstones

Uncommon side effects may affect up to 1 in 1000 people and include:

dehydration

inflamed gallbladder

faster pulse

feeling generally unwell

allergic reaction

reduced kidney functioning

acute kidney failure

The patient information leaflet has more information on the side effects of taking Saxenda.

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