The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Imagine this scenario: You’ve been diligently working toward your weight management goals, and your healthcare team has prescribed Wegovy (semaglutide). You’re excited, you’ve done your research, and you’re ready to take this important step for your health.
Then, as you receive your medication, something doesn’t quite add up. Doubts start to creep in as you realize your Wegovy pens look different than expected. Could this be a counterfeit Wegovy? It’s a chilling thought, but a very real concern in today’s world.
Counterfeit medications can pose a serious threat to unsuspecting consumers. GoodRx, a platform for medical savings, helps you learn where to find Wegovy images, how to identify fakes, and locate safe sources to purchase real Wegovy to help keep you safe.
Key takeaways:
Wegovy is available as a single-dose injection pen. Even though it contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic, the Wegovy pen is different. For example, it doesn’t have a dose selector or a button that you push at the top to start the injection. And the needle is already attached to the pen, hidden inside the needle cover.
There are five different Wegovy pens available, each containing a different dose of semaglutide. The pen is white with a gray cap and one of five colors on its label:
Wegovy is injected once weekly. It comes in a carton with four Wegovy pens — one for each week for a month’s supply. Since the needle is already attached to the pen, there shouldn’t be any extra needles in the carton.
Your Wegovy pens and carton should each have a specific national drug code (NDC) printed on it. The NDC is a unique three-segment number that helps identify a specific product. If the NDC on your product is different from what’s discussed below, you can confirm it with the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, at 1-800-727-6500.
The 0.25 mg dose Wegovy pen has light green coloring on its label. Each pen contains 0.25 mg of semaglutide in 0.5 mL of liquid. The NDC on the carton should be 0169-4545-14. The NDC on the pens should be 0169-4525-01.
The 0.5 mg dose Wegovy pen has pink coloring on its label. Each pen contains 0.5 mg of semaglutide in 0.5 mL of liquid. The NDC on the carton should be 0169-4505-14. The NDC on the pens should be 0169-4505-01.
The 1 mg dose Wegovy pen has brown coloring on its label. Each pen contains 1 mg of semaglutide in 0.5 mL of liquid. The NDC on the carton should be 0169-4501-14. The NDC on the pens should be 0169-4501-01.
The 1.7 mg dose Wegovy pen has blue coloring on its label. Each pen contains 1.7 mg of semaglutide in 0.75 mL of liquid. The NDC on the carton should be 0169-4517-14. The NDC on the pens should be 0169-4517-01.
The 2.4 mg dose Wegovy pen has black coloring on its label. Each pen contains 2.4 mg of semaglutide in 0.75 mL of liquid. The NDC on the carton should be 0169-4524-14. The NDC on the pens should be 0169-4524-01.
If you’ve received real Wegovy from your local pharmacy before, counterfeit versions might stand out more easily. But if it’s your first time receiving Wegovy or it’s from a different source, fake Wegovy may not be as obvious. Here are a few clues to look for:
All Wegovy pen labels should contain the same basic information. This includes:
If any of this information is missing, misspelled, or different from what it should be, your Wegovy may be fake.
One of the best places to buy real Wegovy is from your local pharmacy. These pharmacies are required to purchase medications from an FDA-registered wholesaler or other third party. As Wegovy makes its way from the manufacturer to them, there are processes to identify and remove counterfeit products.
However, your local pharmacy may not have your specific Wegovy dose in stock. In this case, you may have found an online pharmacy that can ship it to you. While an online pharmacy is required to follow the same laws as a local pharmacy, it may be difficult to tell if it’s legitimate.
Fortunately, resources are available to help you find a trusted source:
Authentic Wegovy is also available through NovoCare Pharmacy, which can be a helpful resource if you’re uninsured or your plan doesn’t cover Wegovy. Through this option, Wegovy is delivered directly to your home from Novo Nordisk’s dispensing pharmacy partner.
If you think you’ve received counterfeit or fake Wegovy, don’t use it. You can confirm if it’s legitimate with the manufacturer. If you’re still not sure, your local pharmacist can also be a helpful resource.
If you’ve been injecting Wegovy, only to realize your product might be fake, contact your healthcare team right away. Counterfeit Wegovy has several potential risks. For example, it may contain the wrong medication or wrong dose. Quality and safety can’t be guaranteed, either. Your healthcare team can evaluate you and determine the best course of action.
There are several ways you can report fake Wegovy to protect others from buying it in the future. This includes submitting a report online with the FDA and over the phone with the manufacturer at 1-800-727-6500. If you purchased your Wegovy online, you can report a suspicious online pharmacy to NABP.
Wegovy (semaglutide) comes in five different single-use injection pens that each contain a specific dose. The Wegovy pen is white with a gray cap. The label color will depend on the dose. The pen doesn’t have a dose selector or button at the top.
If you buy Wegovy online, there’s a chance it might be counterfeit. Comparing your product to images on the manufacturer website can help you tell if it’s real. It’s also a good idea to only purchase medications from trusted sources. This may include your local pharmacy, or an online pharmacy that has been verified by an organization such as the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).
This story was produced by GoodRx and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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