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Increase Your Awareness with Basic Facts about Semaglutide Injections
Nikki and Anne Heart ♥ June 17, 2025
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The following information was accessed from online sources May 2025 on prescription drugs may change. It is important to obtain the most current information regarding a prescription drug before use.
Quick facts YOU Need to Know
Semaglutide injection is in a class of medications called incretin mimetics.
- It works by helping the pancreas to release the right amount of insulin when blood sugar levels are high.
Semaglutide injection brand names:
- Ozempic®
- Wegovy®
Semaglutide injection (Ozempic):
- Ozempic (semaglutide) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 24, 2017, for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults.
- May 2020: FDA approved Ozempic for reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events (such as heart attack, stroke, or death) in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease.
- January 2025: FDA approved Ozempic for the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults with type 2 diabetes. This approval was based on studies showing that Ozempic can slow the progression of CKD and reduce the risk of kidney failure.
- Important note: Ozempic is not approved for weight loss. It is only approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and CKD.
- Is used along with a diet and exercise program to control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes (condition in which the body does not use insulin normally and therefore cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood) when other medications did not control the sugar levels well enough.
- Semaglutide injection (Ozempic) is also used to reduce the risk of a stroke, heart attack, or death in adults who have type 2 diabetes along with heart and blood vessel disease.
- It is not used to treat type 1 diabetes (condition in which the body does not produce insulin and therefore cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood) or diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious condition that may develop if high blood sugar is not treated).
- Semaglutide injection is not used instead of insulin to treat people with diabetes who need insulin.
Semaglutide injection (Wegovy)
- Wegovy was FDA approved for weight loss, June 4, 2021
- It is used to reduce the risk of a stroke, heart attack, or death in adults who are overweight or obese along with heart and blood vessel disease.
- Semaglutide injection (Wegovy) is used along with an individualized low-calorie, low-fat diet and exercise program to help with weight loss in obese adults or overweight adults who may also have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
- Semaglutide injection (Wegovy) is also used along with an individualized low-calorie, low-fat diet and exercise program to help with weight loss in obese children 12 years of age or older.
FDA’s Concerns with Unapproved GLP-1 Drugs Used for Weight Loss
- FDA is aware that some patients and health care professionals may look to unapproved versions of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists) drugs, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, as an option for weight loss. This can be risky for patients, as unapproved versions do not undergo FDA’s review for safety, effectiveness and quality before they are marketed.
Semaglutide injection may cause side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if any of these are severe or do no go away:
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- constipation
- heartburn
- burping
Some side effects can be serious:
- ongoing pain that begins in the upper left or middle of the stomach but may spread to the back, with or without vomiting
- rash; itching; swelling of the eyes, face, mouth, tongue, or throat; or difficulty breathing or swallowing
- decreased urination; or swelling of legs, ankles, or feet
- vision changes
- fainting or dizziness
- pain in upper stomach; yellowing of skin or eyes; fever; or clay-colored stools (in those receiving semaglutide [Wegovy] for management of weight loss)
- rapid heartbeat
- dizziness, light-headedness, sweating, confusion, drowsiness, headache, blurred vision, slurred speech, shakiness, fast heartbeat, anxiety, irritability, mood changes, hunger, weakness, or feeling jittery
Serious vision side effects have been reported:
- There may be a potential link between semaglutide and tirepatide, the active ingredients in many weight loss drugs and a condition that leads to a stroke of the eye.
- Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy, contends these findings and does not consider this to be a potential adverse reaction for drugs containing semaglutide.
IMPORTANT WARNING:
Semaglutide injection may increase the risk that you will develop tumors of the thyroid gland, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC; a type of thyroid cancer). Laboratory animals who were given semaglutide developed tumors, but it is not known if this medication increases the risk of tumors in humans. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had MTC or Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2; condition that causes tumors in more than one gland in the body). If so, your doctor will probably tell you not to use semaglutide injection. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: a lump or swelling in the neck; hoarseness; difficulty swallowing; or shortness of breath.
FDA warns consumers not to use counterfeit Ozempic (semaglutide) found in U.S. drug supply chain.
The following are just a couple of the sites you can visit for more information:
- MedlinePlus, accessed May 21, 2025.
- FDA information about FDA approval, accessed May 21, 2025.
- FDA.gov/drugs, warning about counterfeit Ozempic, accessed May 21, 2025.
- Novomedlink.com, accessed May 21, 2025.
- Ozempic, accessed May 21, 2025
- Wegovy, accessed May 21, 2025
The key is to research, ask questions, and most importantly be aware.
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