Is your Wegovy real? Here鈥檚 how to ID fake weight loss drugs
Imagine this scenario: You鈥檝e been diligently working toward your weight management goals, and your healthcare team has prescribed (semaglutide). You鈥檙e excited, you鈥檝e done your research, and you鈥檙e ready to take this important step for your health.
Then, as you receive your medication, something doesn鈥檛 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鈥檚 a chilling thought, but a very real concern in today鈥檚 world.
can pose a serious threat to unsuspecting consumers. , 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 (semaglutide) is an injectable medication that鈥檚 approved for weight loss. Due to its popularity, fake or counterfeit Wegovy products are on the market.
- Real Wegovy pens have one of five colors on the label: green, pink, brown, blue, and black. Unlike Ozempic or insulin pens, you don鈥檛 need to dial up a dose or push a button at the top to start the injection.
- Fake Wegovy pens and cartons may look different from the real thing. The manufacturer鈥檚 website is a good source of truth for Wegovy images to ensure your product is legitimate.
- Your local pharmacy is the best place to get legitimate Wegovy. While a mail order pharmacy can also be a good option, it鈥檚 important to verify that it鈥檚 a trusted source.
What does Wegovy look like?
Wegovy is available as a single-dose injection pen. Even though it contains the same active ingredient as , the Wegovy pen is different. For example, it doesn鈥檛 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 available, each containing a different dose of . The pen is white with a gray cap and one of five colors on its label:
- Light green (0.25 mg)
- Pink (0.5 mg)
- Brown (1 mg)
- Blue (1.7 mg)
- Black (2.4 mg)
Wegovy is injected . It comes in a carton with four Wegovy pens 鈥 one for each week for a month鈥檚 supply. Since the needle is already attached to the pen, there shouldn鈥檛 be any extra needles in the carton.
Your Wegovy pens and carton should each have a specific printed on it. The NDC is a unique three-segment number that helps identify a specific product. If the is different from what鈥檚 discussed below, you with the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, at 1-800-727-6500.
Wegovy 0.25 mg dose pen (light green label)
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.
Wegovy 0.5 mg dose pen (pink label)
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.
Wegovy 1 mg dose pen (brown label)
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.
Wegovy 1.7 mg dose pen (blue label)
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.
Wegovy 2.4 mg dose pen (black label)
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.
How can you tell real Wegovy from fake or counterfeit Wegovy?
If you鈥檝e received real Wegovy from your local pharmacy before, counterfeit versions might stand out more easily. But if it鈥檚 your first time receiving Wegovy or it鈥檚 from a different source, may not be as obvious. Here are a few clues to look for:
- Real Wegovy comes in a single-dose injection pen. If you receive your medication in a vial, it鈥檚 not real Wegovy. It鈥檚 possible that you鈥檝e received , which has its own potential risks.
- Real Wegovy pens are white with a colored label and gray cap. Injection pens that are blue, gray, or a different color aren鈥檛 the real thing. , for example, are light blue.
- Real Wegovy doesn鈥檛 have a dose selector or button at the top. Each Wegovy pen contains one dose that鈥檚 already loaded for you. If you need to dial up your dose or push a button to inject the medication, your Wegovy may be fake. Keep in mind that some Wegovy pens may work this way.
- Real Wegovy should contain a clear liquid. The medication in the pen should be clear, not pink or some other color.
What should you look for on the Wegovy label?
All Wegovy pen labels should contain the same basic information. This includes:
- Wegovy (semaglutide) injection
- Dose (in mg)
- Concentration (mg per mL)
- NDC
- List number (last 6 numbers of NDC)
- Lot or batch number
- Expiration date (as EXP)
- The words 鈥淔or subcutaneous use only鈥
If any of this information is missing, misspelled, or different from what it should be, your Wegovy may be fake.
Where can you buy real Wegovy?
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 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 if it鈥檚 legitimate.
Fortunately, resources are available to help you find a trusted source:
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP): Search for safe online pharmacies using . It will show if an online pharmacy is verified or not recommended, or if it hasn鈥檛 been reviewed.
- Online pharmacy accreditation or certification: You can see if an online pharmacy is accredited or certified. This means that pharmacy has met certain standards for safety, transparency, and legitimacy. and are two examples.
Authentic Wegovy is also available through , which can be a helpful resource if you鈥檙e uninsured or your plan doesn鈥檛 cover Wegovy. Through this option, Wegovy is delivered directly to your home from Novo Nordisk鈥檚 dispensing pharmacy partner.
What should you do if you think you鈥檝e used counterfeit Wegovy?
If you think you鈥檝e received counterfeit or fake Wegovy, don鈥檛 use it. You can confirm if it鈥檚 legitimate with the manufacturer. If you鈥檙e still not sure, your local pharmacist can also be a helpful resource.
If you鈥檝e 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鈥檛 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 and over the phone with the at 1-800-727-6500. If you purchased your Wegovy online, you can report a suspicious online pharmacy .
The bottom line
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鈥檛 have a dose selector or button at the top.
If you buy Wegovy online, there鈥檚 a chance it might be counterfeit. Comparing your product to images on the manufacturer website can help you tell if it鈥檚 real. It鈥檚 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).
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