Wegovy is probably the most amazing weight loss drug ever to be approved by the FDA. The results patients have gotten on Wegovy are astounding, which has made the drug so popular it is becoming a little hard to get.
One of the most common questions about Wegovy that comes into our representatives lately is, “Is there a shortage of Wegovy?” The answer is that while the manufacturer is doing its best to increase supply, they were just unprepared for the incredible popularity of the drug, and in some areas, a shortage may still exist.
Should you wait till you can get a prescription for Wegovy, or should you explore a possible alternative? That really depends on your particular circumstances; for truly obese people, there has not been any weight loss drug that has performed as well as Wegovy.
In its clinical trials, people lost as much as 16% of their total body weight. However, for some patients, there are some good alternatives to Wegovy that are much more readily available, and in some cases, they may even cost less than Wegovy.
Is There a Wegovy Shortage?
According to the latest information from Wegovy’s manufacturer, which is updated regularly, “Novo Nordisk is serving hundreds of thousands of U.S. patients with Wegovy, and we are actively producing and shipping all dose strengths. However, demand continues to outpace our increasing production of Wegovy®. As a result, we anticipate ongoing supply disruptions and are aware that some patients will continue having difficulty filling Wegovy prescriptions.”
Novo-Nordisk saw an over 30% increase in sales of Wegovy since the beginning of 2023, creating the shortage. In September 2023, a spokesperson for the company told Forbes magazine that the shortage could “last for years.”
As of the publishing of this page, according to the FDA Drug Shortage Database, semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and the related drug Ozempic, is “Currently in Shortage.”
As demand for Wegovy continues to outpace supply, it can be quite frustrating for those who need and want the drug, driving them to seek alternatives.
What Is the Best Wegovy Alternative?
Some dosages of Wegovy can be found on pharmacy shelves, while other doses remain in very short supply. Novo says while it is ramping up production, it is still backlogged on the lower doses, including 0.25, 0.5, and 1 milligram (mg) options, and these remain in limited supply.
But not being able to get the dose you want for Wegovy is only one of the reasons that cause people to look for an alternative. For one thing, even though it can deliver profound weight loss results, it does not work for everybody.
Wegovy works primarily by making you feel fuller longer, so you eat less. If you are not losing weight on Wegovy, you may want an alternative that works differently, such as Xenical or Qsymia. These two drugs target how your body absorbs fat, not appetite.
Other patients may want an alternative to Wegovy because they are experiencing some uncomfortable side effects. Wegovy can have some severe gastrointestinal side effects that these two drugs, with other mechanisms of action, may not have.
There are also individuals who want an alternative because they have a fear of needles, so they prefer an option that can be taken a different way. Xenical or Qsymia are taken in pill form, making them a good alternative as well for such patients.
And, finally, Wegovy can be expensive – if you can get it – which drives people to look for a cheaper alternative. The following Wegovy alternatives, Mounjaro, Ozempic, Trulicty, and Saxenda, are all in the same class of drugs as Wegovy and work the same way but tend to be less expensive.
Let’s look into each Wegovy alternative currently available in greater detail.
Mounjaro
Mounjaro is a drug made by Eli Lilly. It belongs to the same class of drugs as Wegovy and has a similar mechanism of action, but it is not the same drug. Like the active ingredient in Wegovy, Mounjaro started its life as a drug used to control type 2 diabetes. It is currently only FDA-approved for diabetes; however, it is expected to be approved for weight loss in the near future.
Pros: It is being studied for weight loss and so far has had results nearly as good as Wegovy. It can be used to treat diabetes, and when prescribed for diabetes, patients can get a money-saving coupon from the manufacturer. Even without the coupon, Mounjara is generally less expensive than Wegovy.
Cons: It is currently only approved for diabetes. Prescribing it for weight loss is an “off-label” use, which is legal but requires your doctor’s discretion. Some potentially more severe side effects than Wegovy have been reported with Mounjaro, such as kidney and heart issues and an increased risk of some cancers.
Effectiveness for Weight Loss: Nearly as effective as Wegovy.
Ozempic
Of all of the possible alternatives to Wegovy, from an effectiveness standpoint, Ozempic is probably the best because it is the same drug as Wegovy – – albeit available in different doses. Ozempic is the version of semaglutide that is approved and prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes. But since it is the same drug made by the same pharmaceutical company, it could be just as hard or even harder to get Ozmepic than Wegovy.
Pros: Ozempic has the same active ingredient as Wegovy, so it has the same mechanism of action as Wegovy.
Cons: It is made by the same manufacturer, and Novo has been experiencing the same kinds of shortages producing Ozempic as it has with Wegovy. It is only approved as a prescription for type 2 diabetes, which means prescribing it for weight loss is at a doctor’s prescription, and due to the current shortages, physicians are less likely to do so, reserving its limited availability for patients who need Ozempic to control their diabetes.
Effectiveness for Weight Loss: Nearly as effective as Wegovy.
Trulicity
Trulicity is another diabetes drug made by Eli Lilly. It belongs to the same class of drugs as Wegovy, GLP-1 agonists, but it does not have the same active ingredient. This class of drugs mimics the actions of the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1, which controls feelings of hunger and satiety. As such, it can have a similar effect on appetite as Wegovy and can result in weight loss, and it is one of the few alternatives on this list that is FDA-approved for weight loss.
Pros: Generally more available than Wegovy. It is FDA-approved to be prescribed for both diabetes and weight loss. As of the publication of this page, it costs less than Wegovy.
Cons: It can help you lose weight, but more modestly when compared directly to Wegovy.
Effectiveness for Weight Loss: Less effective than Wegovy.
Xenical
Xenical is the prescription version of the drug Orlistat, which was approved for weight loss decades ago in 1999, so it has been on the market considerably longer than Wegovy. It works completely differently than Wegovy or other GLP-1 agonists in that it does not affect hunger but rather how your body absorbs fat.
Pros: It is FDA-approved for weight loss, it is much more readily available than Wegovy, it costs less, and it comes in capsule form, which may be a good option for those who do not like needles. It is available in a lower-dose version without a prescription. (See the listing of Alli below)
Cons: Xenical offers modest weight loss when compared directly to Wegovy. It has some unique and uncomfortable side effects, such as loose stools and uncontrollable diarrhea in sensitive patients, and it can interfere with the absorption of some fat-soluble vitamins.
Effectiveness for Weight Loss: Significantly less effective than Wegovy.
Saxenda
Saxenda is another of the few Wegovy alternatives that is also an FDA-approved weight loss drug. Like Wegovy and Trulicy, it also belongs to the GLP-1 class of medications, so it has a similar impact on appetite and satiety.
Pros: It is FDA-approved for weight loss. It has a similar mechanism of action to Wegovy. It is generally more available and less expensive than Wegovy.
Cons: Saxenda delivers only modest weight loss results when compared to Wegovy. Patients on Saxenda only lost about 3% of their total body weight on Saxenda. As opposed to 16% for patients on Wegovy for the same period of time. It requires daily injections as opposed to once weekly for Wegovy.
Effectiveness for Weight Loss: Significantly less effective than Wegovy.
Qsymia
Qsymia is a combination of two drugs, phentermine and topiramate, which were two of the few FDA-approved weight loss drugs that were available prior to the introduction of GLP-1 agonists like Wegovy, Mounjaro and Saxenda. They work completely differently than GLP-1 agonists and offer only modest weight loss results in comparison.
Pros: It has been FDA-approved for quite some time for weight loss. One ingredient in Qsymia, phentermine, has been prescribed for weight loss since 1959. It is less expensive and more available than Wegovy, and it is taken as a pill, making it a good alternative for patients who are needle-phobic.
Cons: Offers only modest weight loss compared to Wegovy. In clinical trials, patients on Qsymia usually lose only about 5% to 7% of total body weight. It has the potential for some side effects that are significantly more serious than Wegovy and, therefore, is usually prescribed only for a few weeks, whereas Wegovy and similar drugs can be safely prescribed for years at a time.
Effectiveness for Weight Loss: Significantly less effective than Wegovy.
Imcivree
Imicivree is a prescription medicine used in adults and children 6 years of age or older with obesity due to the genetic conditions pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 1 (PCSK1), or leptin receptor (LEPR) deficiency. It is only FDA-approved for weight control in patients with these specific genetic disorders.
Pros: It can be used to effectively control weight gain that is caused by POMC, PCSK1, or LEPR.
Cons: It is not approved, nor should it be used for weight loss in anyone who has not been genetically tested and confirmed to be suffering from one of these conditions.
Effectiveness for Weight Loss: Effective but only in the specific disease population.
Is There an “Over-the-Counter” Alternative to Wegovy?
Alli is the over-the-counter brand of the formerly prescription-only weight loss drug mentioned above, Orlistat. It is the only non-prescription drug approved by the FDA for weight management. It works totally differently than Wegovy; rather than impacting appetites, it changes the way your body absorbs fat from food.
Pros: It is inexpensive and readily available without a prescription in drug stores such as Walgreens and CVS.
Cons: Alli offers only modest weight loss compared to Wegovy, with users generally losing only about 4% of their total body weight. A 2007 clinical evaluation of “over-the-counter” Orlistat concluded it “has a minimal effect on obesity and is no substitute for a healthy lifestyle.”
Keep in mind that there is no such thing as an “over-the-counter” or “generic” form of Wegovy. You may find some so-called weight loss clinics providing a “compounded” version of semaglutide. These should be avoided as compound versions of semaglutide or any GLP-1 for weight loss are unregulated and have been largely untested.
Similarly, there is no lack of supplements that claim to be able to “burn fat” and help you lose weight, but most of these claims are dubious at best and totally false at worst.
Of course, there are always tried and true methods such as diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes that can help you manage weight and “Weight Loss Programs”. However, Wegovy and similar drugs are recommended for the very people who have tried and failed at these other ways to shed unhealthy pounds.
Therefore, if you really need Wegovy and cannot get it, speak to our professionals about a prescription for one of the good alternatives we have discussed, such as Mounjaro, Trulicity, or Saxenda, which are also FDA-approved for weight loss.
*Now that you know more about Wegovy alternatives, why not contact us to learn more about the life-changing benefits of medical weight loss?