Our most effective option for maximum weight loss results — with full lifestyle support included.
A proven GLP-1 treatment offering accessible pricing alongside full lifestyle support.
Everything you need to lose weight, all in one app.
Our most effective option for maximum weight loss results — with full lifestyle support included.
A proven GLP-1 treatment offering accessible pricing alongside full lifestyle support.
Everything you need to lose weight, all in one app.
Wegovy 7.2mg is a higher weekly dose of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used for weight management alongside a reduced-calorie diet, increased physical activity and clinical review. [3]
The higher dose is intended as a higher maintenance option for selected adult patients with obesity. It is not a different medicine, and it is not a shortcut around the normal Wegovy dose-escalation schedule.
The main change is practical: for people who are prescribed 7.2mg, the single-dose pen means one weekly 7.2mg injection instead of using three 2.4mg injections on the same day.
There have been two important UK regulatory updates. In January 2026, the MHRA approved a maximum weekly semaglutide dose of up to 7.2mg for adult patients with obesity only. At that point, the 7.2mg weekly dose was administered as three 2.4mg injections given one after another on the same day. [2]
In April 2026, the MHRA approved the new single-dose Wegovy 7.2mg pen. The MHRA says this allows the full dose to be administered as one injection for adult patients with obesity who have a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher. [1]
Approval does not mean every Wegovy patient should move to 7.2mg. It means prescribers now have a simpler device option for patients who are clinically suitable for this higher maintenance dose.
The single-dose Wegovy 7.2mg pen has UK regulatory approval. Patient access can still depend on supply, pharmacy access, provider availability and prescriber assessment. Regulatory approval and practical availability are not the same thing.
Existing Lotus patients should stay on their prescribed dose unless the Lotus clinical team advises otherwise. If Wegovy 7.2mg is offered through Lotus, it should still require clinical assessment, dose-history review and a clear explanation of how to use the prescribed pen.
Wegovy 7.2mg may be considered for selected adults with obesity who have already reached 2.4mg and may need a higher maintenance dose after clinical review. The MHRA announcement for the single-dose pen refers to adult patients with obesity with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher. It also states that this approval does not apply to overweight patients with a BMI below 30 kg/m2 using Wegovy for weight management, or to patients using Wegovy to lower their risk of serious heart problems. [1]
A higher dose may be discussed if a patient:
The decision should come from a prescriber, not from a patient trying to recreate a higher dose with extra pens or leftover medication.
Wegovy 7.2mg should not be presented as a routine upgrade. It is not suitable for people starting Wegovy for the first time, people who have not reached 2.4mg, or people who are already struggling with significant side effects at lower doses.
Semaglutide should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. The SmPC says women of childbearing potential are recommended to use contraception while treated with semaglutide, and semaglutide should be stopped at least two months before a planned pregnancy because it remains in the body for a long time. [3]
Semaglutide should also not be combined with another semaglutide-containing product or another GLP-1 receptor agonist unless a prescriber is managing a treatment change. [3]
Wegovy is increased gradually to reduce the likelihood of gastrointestinal side effects. Patients do not start on 7.2mg. [3]
|
Treatment stage |
Usual weekly dose |
|
Weeks 1 to 4 |
0.25mg |
|
Weeks 5 to 8 |
0.5mg |
|
Weeks 9 to 12 |
1mg |
|
Weeks 13 to 16 |
1.7mg |
|
Maintenance dose for all indications |
2.4mg |
|
Higher maintenance option for adult patients with obesity, if needed |
7.2mg after at least four weeks on 2.4mg |
If significant gastrointestinal symptoms occur, dose escalation may need to be delayed or the dose may need to be reduced until symptoms improve. This is one reason self-escalation is unsafe. [3]
Before the single-dose presentation, the 7.2mg weekly dose required three separate 2.4mg injections on the same day. The SmPC now allows the 7.2mg dose to be administered either as one 7.2mg injection or as three 2.4mg injections, depending on the device prescribed. [3]
For patients prescribed the single-dose pen, this can make the higher dose simpler to use. It may reduce the practical burden of multiple injections, changing needles between injections, spacing injection sites and making sure enough 2.4mg pens are available. Simpler administration does not remove the need for prescriber review.
The key clinical data for the higher dose comes from STEP UP, a 72-week trial in adults with obesity. All trial groups received lifestyle support through reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. The SmPC reports greater average weight loss with semaglutide 7.2mg than with 2.4mg and placebo at week 72. [3]
|
Trial group |
Estimated average body-weight change at week 72 |
|
Semaglutide 7.2mg |
-18.7% |
|
Semaglutide 2.4mg |
-15.6% |
|
Placebo |
-3.9% |
An on-treatment analysis, which assumed patients stayed on treatment and did not start another anti-obesity medicine or have bariatric surgery, estimated body-weight changes of -20.7% with 7.2mg, -17.5% with 2.4mg and -2.4% with placebo. [3]
Side effects are central to any discussion about Wegovy 7.2mg. The most frequently reported adverse reactions with semaglutide are gastrointestinal, including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting. [3]
In STEP UP trials, gastrointestinal events were most often reported during dose escalation. Over 72 weeks, nausea occurred in 38.9% of patients treated with semaglutide 7.2mg compared with 12.6% on placebo; diarrhoea in 24.2% compared with 11.6%; vomiting in 22.1% compared with 5.7%; and constipation in 20.4% compared with 7.6%. Most were described as mild to moderate, but they can still affect hydration, eating, daily life and treatment adherence. [3]
The SmPC also notes that dysaesthesia has been observed more frequently with the 7.2mg dose. Dysaesthesia means altered or unusual skin sensation. Patients may describe this as tingling, burning, prickling, sensitive skin, skin pain or unusual sensitivity to touch. [3]
The table below separates common, monitorable symptoms from symptoms that need prescriber review or urgent medical help. It is not a substitute for the advice in your own patient leaflet or from your prescriber.
|
Route |
What you may notice |
Why it matters |
What to do |
|
Monitor and self-manage |
Mild nausea, mild constipation, mild diarrhoea, reduced appetite, mild injection-site discomfort, or symptoms that are improving. |
These can occur with semaglutide, especially during dose escalation. |
Follow your prescribed instructions, keep fluids up, eat smaller meals if helpful, and track whether symptoms are improving or worsening. |
|
Contact your prescriber or clinical team |
Side effects that persist, worsen, interfere with eating or drinking, affect work or daily life, or make you unsure whether to take the next dose. |
Dose adjustment, delayed escalation, medicine review or hydration advice may be needed. |
Contact your prescriber before making dose changes. Do not add, skip or combine doses to manage symptoms yourself. |
|
Contact your prescriber or clinical team |
New tingling, burning, prickling, sensitive skin, skin pain, hair loss, palpitations, faintness, repeated missed doses, planned surgery or anaesthetic procedures. |
These may need individual review, especially after dose changes or around procedures. |
Ask for advice before your next dose if symptoms are significant, new, or difficult to interpret. |
|
Seek urgent medical help |
Persistent, severe abdominal pain, especially if it spreads to the back, with or without vomiting. |
This can be a warning sign of pancreatitis, which needs immediate assessment. |
Seek urgent medical advice. If pancreatitis is suspected, treatment should be stopped unless and until a clinician advises otherwise. [3] |
|
Seek urgent medical help |
Severe vomiting or diarrhoea, dizziness, fainting, very low fluid intake, or signs of dehydration such as very dark urine or reduced urination. |
Fluid loss can cause dehydration and may worsen kidney function, especially in people with existing kidney problems. |
Seek urgent medical advice, especially if you cannot keep fluids down. |
|
Seek urgent medical help |
Severe right-sided or upper abdominal pain, fever, yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine or pale stools. |
These symptoms may suggest gallbladder or liver-related problems and should not be dismissed as ordinary stomach upset. |
Seek urgent medical advice. |
|
Seek urgent medical help |
Sudden vision loss, partial vision loss or sudden significant change in vision. |
The SmPC says patients reporting sudden vision loss should be urgently referred for ophthalmological examination. [3] |
Seek urgent medical help and tell the clinician you are using semaglutide. |
|
Emergency help |
Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, breathing difficulty, collapse, or a severe widespread rash. |
These may be signs of a severe allergic reaction. |
Call 999 or seek emergency help. |
|
Urgent diabetes-specific advice |
Sweating, shaking, confusion, hunger, palpitations, dizziness or other symptoms of low blood sugar, especially if you use insulin or sulfonylureas. |
Semaglutide can increase hypoglycaemia risk when used with some diabetes medicines. |
Follow your diabetes hypoglycaemia plan and seek urgent advice if symptoms are severe, repeated or do not settle. |
Suspected side effects can be reported through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. [6]
If you are already taking Wegovy with Lotus, this approval does not mean your dose will automatically change. Your current dose may still be the most appropriate option.
Do not buy extra pens elsewhere, combine pens, use leftover medication to create a higher dose, or change your weekly schedule unless this has been prescribed and explained.
Your clinical review should consider:
A useful clinical review depends on good information. Before asking whether Wegovy 7.2mg is relevant, track:
Because the 7.2mg pen is a newer higher-dose presentation, patients should not assume it will cost the same as lower-dose Wegovy or that every provider will supply it immediately. Price can depend on stock, prescribing route, pharmacy supply and what clinical support is included.
Lotus patients should check the current Wegovy treatment information before proceeding. The price should be clear before payment, and treatment should still depend on clinical eligibility and prescriber approval rather than demand for a specific dose.
The main difference is dose and intended role. Wegovy 2.4mg remains the maintenance dose for all current Wegovy indications. Wegovy 7.2mg is a higher maintenance option for weight management in adult patients with obesity, if needed after clinical review. [3]
STEP UP data showed greater average weight loss with 7.2mg than with 2.4mg, but that should not be reduced to “higher is better”. The right dose is the dose that is effective, tolerable and clinically suitable for the individual patient.
Some patients will ask whether the higher 7.2mg dose means they should switch from Mounjaro, or whether Wegovy is now the better option. That question cannot be answered safely from headline weight-loss percentages alone.
Wegovy and Mounjaro are different medicines with different active ingredients, dosing schedules, side-effect profiles, supply issues and prescribing considerations. A switch should be based on medical suitability, previous response, tolerability, current dose, treatment goals, cost, supply and prescriber judgement. Do not switch between weight-loss medicines without clinical guidance.
This article was created in line with our editorial standards. Medical information is checked against UK-relevant guidance and reliable sources, which may include the NHS, NICE, the MHRA, medicine safety information, recognised clinical guidance and peer-reviewed research.
Medical content is reviewed regularly and updated sooner if clinical, safety or regulation guidance changes. This article is general information, and not a substitute for personal advice from your own prescriber.
