How to Store Wegovy
Wegovy (semaglutide) is a clinically proven weight loss medication with high success rates. When paired with an active lifestyle and healthy eating habits, it can help people lose up to 20% of their total body weight.
The treatment is administered either as a weekly subcutaneous (under-the-skin) injection or a daily pill, and each option has its own storage requirements. Taking Wegovy at home requires an understanding of proper storage to ensure your safety. Here, we’ll discuss both the pills and the pens - including the lower injection doses and the highest, 7.2mg injection - to give you all the storage information you could need before starting the treatment.
Where to Store Wegovy Pills
The storage instructions for Wegovy pills are straightforward. Like most medicines, it must be kept out of sight and reach of children and should not be disposed of in general household waste. Do not take it after the printed expiry date, which refers to the last day of the month shown.
Keep all Wegovy pills in their original packaging, away from light and moisture. Beyond that, there’s no more to it. The rest of this article will focus on Wegovy injections, since they have more specific storage requirements.
Wegovy Pill
- Average weight loss of 16.6% over 64 weeks
- Convenient treatment without injections
- Available in 1.5 mg, 4 mg, 9 mg, and 25 mg daily doses
Where to Store Wegovy Pens
The same general storage rules that apply to the pills also apply to the injections: keep out of sight and reach of children, do not use after the expiry date has passed, do not dispose of via household waste. However, there are some injection-only requirements that you should be aware of:
- Pre-Opening: Do not freeze Wegovy, or use it if it has been frozen. Store it in a refrigerator between 2-8°C, away from the cooling element, as soon as you receive your injection pens.
- During Use: Store the pens below 30°C. Discard if they have exceeded 30°C. If the 0.25 mg-2.4 mg pens have been in use for more than 6 weeks, discard them. If 7.2mg pens have been out of the fridge for more than 28 days, discard them.
No matter what, never use Wegovy injections if the contained solution is not clear and colourless.
Wegovy
- Approved Weight Loss treatment
- Weekly injection
- Reduces risk of heart attack & stroke
Do You Store Wegovy in the Fridge?
The fridge is the ideal place to store Wegovy pens, and should always be where they are kept before opening. It ensures they stay in the perfect condition and temperature while not in use, so that when it comes to opening, they are good to go right away. Not storing Wegovy pens in the fridge risks the active ingredient deteriorating, which can cause the medication to be less effective.
Can You Store Wegovy at Room Temperature?
You can store Wegovy pens at room temperature, but only after it has been opened. Room temperature is classified as below 30°C, so storage should not exceed this. If it does, you could dispose of that treatment, as the ingredients reaching that level of heat can cause them to become ineffective.
Wegovy Shelf Life
The shelf life of Wegovy will depend on whether the injections have been opened or not, and the strength of the dosage. While unopened, the pens can be kept until the expiry date printed on the box, and like the pills, this refers to the last day of that particular month.
For dosage strengths 0.25mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg, the injections can be kept in use for up to 6 weeks. After this mark, they should be regarded as null and disposed of safely - you can ask your clinician for the best way to do this. For the 7.2mg dosage specifically, the injections can only be kept unrefrigerated for up to 28 days before use.
How to Store Wegovy Pens Safely
There are several considerations when storing Wegovy pens safely. For example:
- Keep out of sight and reach of children and animals
- Make sure the pen cap is kept on when not in use
- Do not store with the needle still attached (excluding 7.2mg)
- Keep away from heat, light and moisture
The comparison of time and temperature between all three Wegovy types can be seen here:
Treatment | Before Use | During Use | Shelf Life |
|---|---|---|---|
Wegovy pills | No temperature storage conditions | No temperature storage conditions | Until the printed expiry date |
Wegovy pens 0.25-2.4mg | Between 2-8°C | Below 30°C or 2-8°C | 6 weeks |
Wegovy pens 7.2mg | Between 2-8°C | Below 30°C or 2-8°C | 28 days unrefrigerated |
Does Fridge Placement Matter?
Yes, where you place Wegovy pens in the fridge can matter. Don't keep them too close to the cooling element, as this could make them too cold and affect the medication's effectiveness. Keep them on a high shelf too if children are around.
Can Wegovy Be Frozen?
Absolutely not; never freeze Wegovy. Doing so risks breaking down the medication, which could make it less effective or potentially harmful. Dispose of frozen Wegovy safely and do not administer it, even if thawed and returned to room temperature.
What to Do If You’ve Not Followed the Wegovy Storage Instructions
If you haven't stored Wegovy correctly, don’t panic. So long as you haven't administered any, your health shouldn't be at risk.
If the Wegovy has been kept at the incorrect temperature, frozen, or is cloudy or coloured, you should dispose of the pens. If you are unsure whether they have been stored incorrectly, ask your clinician for further advice.
Can I Travel With Wegovy?
Yes, you can travel with Wegovy. Keep your pens with you in your hand luggage to ensure the hold temperature does not affect them. If unopened, use cooling gel packs or a refrigerated bag to maintain 2-8°C wherever you go. Inform airport staff that you are carrying liquid at bag check.
Wegovy pills do not have any specified travel requirements, but for both treatments you should bring a copy of your prescription with you.
How to Dispose of Wegovy Pens
Never dispose of Wegovy in general household waste. Not only is putting sharp needles inside thin plastic bags unsafe for anyone who picks it up, but it is bad for the environment too. Instead, you can request a disposal bin from your clinician. Once full, you can take the sharps bin back to them, and they may be able to take it off your hands. Depending on your local council, you may be able to arrange a safe pickup, and they will collect the waste instead.
Novo Nordisk, the creators of Wegovy, has a UK-based scheme called PenCycle, which allows used injections to be safely recycled. Contact your local pharmacy or GP to see if they are involved with the scheme.
Be a Star Storer
Storing Wegovy correctly is the best way to ensure its effectiveness as a weight loss medication - and since it sees some of the highest effectiveness on the UK market, this is an attribute you’ll want to maintain.
Prescription Doctor can offer you further advice on storage, or on any part of the treatment as a whole, such as managing side effects, what to eat while on it, or a deep dive into the further differences between the pills and the pens. We also have articles covering the switch between Mounjaro and Wegovy, in case you are already on a treatment and would rather be on Wegovy. Switching from a different treatment is simple and safe through us, as is starting Wegovy fresh - it’s as easy as filling out a short online form to get your order started, either for the injections or the pills. Begin your consultation today, and we can find the right treatment for you together.
Sources
Authored & Reviewed By
Mohamed Imran Lakhi
MPharm - Lead PharmacistPublished on: 16/10/2023 Reviewed on: 05/06/2025
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