Short answer: The UK semaglutide shortage ran from roughly 2022 to early 2025. Surging global demand — much of it off-label for weight loss — outstripped supply of Ozempic (semaglutide for type 2 diabetes) and squeezed the wider GLP-1 class. On 18 July 2023 the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) issued a National Patient Safety Alert reserving GLP-1 medicines for diabetes and discouraging off-label use; Wegovy (semaglutide for weight management) then launched in a deliberately limited way on 4 September 2023. Supply was reported to have recovered by late 2024 / early 2025. This is a timeline, not medical advice — always speak to your pharmacist or GP about your own treatment.
Key facts (verified, July 2026)
- Same drug, two brands: Ozempic and Wegovy are both semaglutide (Novo Nordisk); Ozempic is licensed for type 2 diabetes, Wegovy for weight management.
- Patient safety alert: NatPSA/2023/008/DHSC, issued 18 July 2023, restricted GLP-1 use to licensed diabetes indications.
- Superseded: that alert was replaced by NatPSA/2024/001/DHSC in January 2024 as shortages continued through 2024.
- Recovery: stocks were reported resupplied around the end of December 2024 and the GLP-1 shortage reported resolved by late January 2025.
- Still moving: individual products and strengths can fluctuate — e.g. Bydureon (exenatide) was discontinued via a DHSC notification on 15 October 2025.
Quick recap: which medicine is which
Because "Ozempic" and "Wegovy" are used loosely in the news, the shortage is easy to misread. Both pens contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist made by Novo Nordisk. What differs is the licence:
| Brand | Form | Licensed UK use |
|---|---|---|
| Ozempic | Weekly injection | Type 2 diabetes |
| Wegovy | Weekly injection | Weight management |
| Rybelsus | Daily tablet | Type 2 diabetes |
The core problem in 2022–24 was that Ozempic, licensed for diabetes, was being prescribed off-label for weight loss before Wegovy was widely available — draining stock that people with diabetes depended on. You can follow live official supply signals on our pages for Wegovy, Ozempic and semaglutide.
The timeline
- 2021–2022 · Demand takes off Global demand for semaglutide surged, driven heavily by off-label use for weight loss. Manufacturing could not keep pace, and intermittent Ozempic supply gaps began appearing across the UK and internationally.
- 8 March 2023 · NICE recommends Wegovy NICE published technology appraisal TA875, recommending semaglutide (Wegovy) for weight management within a specialist weight-management service — setting the framework for NHS access before the product was actually on shelves.
- June 2023 · Shortage formally recognised The DHSC formally acknowledged a national shortage of GLP-1 receptor agonists, with supply not expected to stabilise until at least mid-2024.
- 18 July 2023 · National Patient Safety Alert DHSC issued NatPSA/2023/008/DHSC, instructing prescribers to reserve GLP-1 medicines for their licensed diabetes indication, strongly discouraging off-label use for obesity, and warning against switching between brands or doubling up lower-dose pens.
- 4 September 2023 · Wegovy launches (limited) Wegovy launched in the UK, available on the NHS via specialist weight-management services for eligible patients (broadly BMI 35+, or 30–34.9 with a weight-related condition and referral). Novo Nordisk described it as a controlled, supply-constrained launch, with a share of stock ring-fenced for NHS use.
- January 2024 · Alert updated The July 2023 alert was superseded by NatPSA/2024/001/DHSC as GLP-1 shortages continued; the Pharmaceutical Journal reported the squeeze was expected to persist through all of 2024.
- 2024 · Mounjaro enters the picture Tirzepatide (Mounjaro), a dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist, was approved for type 2 diabetes and helped absorb demand during the recovery. It later became available for weight loss on the NHS from June 2025 — see our Mounjaro UK availability guide.
- Late Dec 2024 – Jan 2025 · Recovery Stocks were reported resupplied around the end of December 2024, and by late January 2025 the GLP-1 shortage was reported as resolved, with both Wegovy and Ozempic generally available again.
- 15 October 2025 · Ongoing product changes Supply is never fully static: DHSC issued a Medicine Supply Notification confirming Bydureon (exenatide), an older GLP-1, had been discontinued. This is separate from the semaglutide recovery but shows why per-product monitoring still matters.
- 2026 · Where things stand Wegovy and Ozempic are reported to be generally available, though individual strengths can still be tight at particular pharmacies. If you rely on either, reorder in good time and confirm stock before your last pen runs out.
Why the July 2023 restriction mattered. The National Patient Safety Alert existed to protect people with type 2 diabetes, whose treatment was at risk when Ozempic was diverted to off-label weight loss. Prescribing Ozempic for weight loss during a shortage can leave diabetes patients without their medicine. If you want semaglutide for weight management, the licensed product is Wegovy, accessed through a proper clinical assessment.
What drove the shortage?
Official sources are consistent that this was a demand shock, not a quality or safety recall. The key drivers were:
- Explosive off-label demand for semaglutide as a weight-loss treatment, well beyond the diabetes population it was licensed for.
- Global manufacturing limits on injectable-pen production that could not scale quickly enough.
- Class-wide knock-on effects, as prescribers switching between GLP-1 products spread the strain across the whole class rather than one brand.
For the wider policy picture, see our guides on how the DHSC manages medicine supply and the history of UK drug shortages.
Fake pens: a shortage-era danger
Counterfeit weight-loss pens circulated during the shortage. When legitimate supply is scarce, fakes appear. The MHRA has warned about unsafe fake weight-loss pens and seized hundreds of suspected counterfeits — some found to contain insulin rather than semaglutide, leading to hospitalisations. Only obtain these medicines with a valid prescription from a UK-registered pharmacy, and never buy from social media sellers or at prices that look too good to be true.
What this means for you now
- Don't stockpile or double-dose. The official advice during shortages was explicitly against switching brands unsupervised or doubling up lower-strength pens — speak to your prescriber if a strength is unavailable.
- Reorder early. Even in recovery, strength-level gaps happen; request repeats before your last pen.
- Ask about alternatives properly. If your usual product is short, your GP or pharmacist can advise on options — see talking to your GP about alternatives.
- Watch the wider class. New options like oral GLP-1s are coming — read our orforglipron availability guide and what the trials show about muscle loss.
Never start, stop or change a dose without your prescriber's advice, and report suspected side effects via the Yellow Card scheme. If you feel unwell, contact your pharmacist, GP or NHS 111.
Related reading
Wegovy & Ozempic: current access
The difference, NHS routes under NICE TA875, and private options in 2026.
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) in the UK
Availability, price rises and the NHS rollout.
Orforglipron: the oral GLP-1
Where the first oral small-molecule GLP-1 stands for the UK.
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Reviewed for source alignment and patient-safety framing: 17 July 2026 · Clinical reviewer: Benjamin Alexander, pharmacist (GPhC-registered) · Report an accuracy issue
Official sources: DHSC/MHRA CAS: National Patient Safety Alert (NatPSA/2023/008/DHSC) · DHSC: Accessing Wegovy for weight loss (4 Sept 2023) · NICE TA875 (semaglutide for weight management) · MHRA: fake weight-loss pens · NHS: semaglutide · Diabetes UK: GLP-1 RA shortage FAQs
MediWatch is not medical advice and is not affiliated with the NHS. Always follow your prescription label and ask a pharmacist, GP, specialist, NHS 111, or emergency services if you are unsure or unwell. Data checked daily against official sources.
Official sources: DHSC/MHRA CAS: National Patient Safety Alert (NatPSA/2023/008/DHSC) · DHSC: Accessing Wegovy for weight loss (4 Sept 2023) · NICE TA875 (semaglutide for weight management) · MHRA: fake weight-loss pens · NHS: semaglutide · Diabetes UK: GLP-1 RA shortage FAQs
MediWatch is not medical advice and is not affiliated with the NHS. Always follow your prescription label and ask a pharmacist, GP, specialist, NHS 111, or emergency services if you are unsure or unwell. Data checked daily against official sources.