Semaglutide, the active ingredient in popular drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, isn’t without its risks. A recent study has found that tens of thousands of Americans have ended up in the emergency room from taking semaglutide over the past few years.

Weight loss jabs could be made available over the counter at pharmacies in England. Drugs like Ozempic could be come available after a short consultation over the cost of a standard prescription. It currently costs about £150 a month to get the jabs privately.

Semaglutide — known by brand names Ozempic and Wegovy — works in the brain to impact satiety. Over the past two years, the popularity of weekly injections for weight loss has soared. As of 2024, one in eight adults in the United States has taken a GLP-1 medication (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) like Ozempic.