Does Wegovy need to be refrigerated? How to keep your medication safe and effective

Once you’ve received your box of Wegovy pens, how should you go about storing them? Are they fine on the kitchen bench, or do they need to be popped in the fridge? If they are in the fridge, should you place them in the door, on a shelf or right up the back? And can you freeze your pens to keep them usable for longer?

This guide answers all of your burning questions on storing this popular weight loss medication safely.

Does Wegovy need to be kept in the fridge?

Yes, unopened Wegovy does need to be kept in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. This helps preserve your medication so it lasts until its expiry date and maintains its effectiveness.

Excess heat or cold can break down Wegovy’s structure, potentially ruining its potency. The fridge keeps it at a nice, stable temperature and away from light.

When it’s okay to store it outside the fridge

While fridge storage is the best option until you first use the medication, you can store unopened Wegovy at room temperature for up to 28 days. Once you’ve used the medication, it can be placed back in the fridge or kept at room temperature.

If you’d prefer to keep things simple, you can just keep it in the fridge before and after use.

Recommended Wegovy storage temperatures

Wegovy’s manufacturer recommends keeping your medication at a fridge temperature of between 2°C and 8°C. Different spots in your fridge can have different temperatures, but we’ll explore the best places to keep your medication a little further down.

If you’re storing your opened medication outside the fridge, the temperature shouldn’t exceed 30°C – something to keep in mind over the summer months! If Wegovy overheats, it can lose its effectiveness.

Where to store Wegovy in the fridge

You might think it’s as simple as putting your Wegovy pens in any old spot in the fridge, but its placement can impact how well it stays fresh.

Best placement

The best way to place your Wegovy is:

• On the middle shelf: This area has a relatively stable temperature and isn’t prone to hot or cold spots
• Away from freezing coils: This can prevent your medication from getting too cold or freezing accidentally in the fridge – a no-no that can damage it
• In its original box: This protects Wegovy from light and moisture
• With the pen cap on: This protects the needle and prevents contamination

Areas to avoid

These areas should be avoided:

• In the fridge door: The temperature can fluctuate every time you open the fridge door
• Inconsistent temperature spots: Any spot that’s warmer or colder than the rest of the fridge can affect your medication’s stability. Think the back of the fridge, the vegetable drawer and right near the cooling element

How long does Wegovy last in the fridge?

As long as unopened Wegovy is stored properly (that is, in the fridge at temperatures between 2°C and 8°C, or at room temperature for up to 28 days), it will last until its expiration date. You can find the expiration date both on the box and on the injection pens.

What happens after opening

Once you’ve opened a Wegovy pen, it’s got a shelf life of six weeks when it’s stored in the fridge. If it’s outside the fridge, it can be stored for up to 28 days after opening. Once it gets to the end of either timeframe, it’ll need to be discarded – even if there’s some medicine remaining.

How long can Wegovy be out of the fridge?

Wegovy can be outside the fridge for up to 28 days, as long as the temperature doesn’t exceed 30°C and it doesn’t get exposed to light. This is the recommendation set by the weight loss medication’s manufacturer. The reason it must be disposed of within 28 days is that it starts to lose its effectiveness, according to tests conducted by the manufacturer.[1]

Tips for hot climates or if you don’t have fridge access

If you’re in a warmer climate or don’t have access to a fridge – perhaps if you’re travelling – you might want to invest in a cooler bag to keep it at a stable temperature. Just avoid using ice packs, as this can cause the medication to freeze.

What happens if left out too long

If you’ve left your Wegovy pen at room temperature for longer than 28 days, it’ll need to be discarded – whether it’s an unopened or opened pen. This is because there’s no guarantee that it’s still safe or effective to use.

What if you forget to refrigerate Wegovy?

If you forget to pop your Wegovy pens in the fridge, they may still be fine to use. But if it’s been longer than 28 days, temperatures have exceeded 30°C or the pens have been taken out of their box and exposed to light, they should be safely thrown away.

How to assess if it’s still usable

To check if your pen can still be safely used, look at:

• The time it’s been left out: If it’s been more than 28 days, get rid of it – whether it’s opened or not
• The solution: It should be clear and colourless
• The pen itself: There should be no damage or leaks

Generally speaking, if you’re ever in doubt, your best bet is to safely throw it out. A compromised pen may not just be ineffective, it may also be unsafe.

Can Wegovy be stored in the freezer?

No, Wegovy cannot be frozen. This can make the ingredients separate and the medication ineffective. It may also damage the pen itself. When the liquid inside the pen freezes, it expands and can crack or jam the pen’s mechanism.

Wegovy’s manufacturer warns against freezing the medication and recommends discarding it if it becomes frozen [1].

What happens if Wegovy freezes accidentally?

Accidents happen, and sometimes a Wegovy pen might inadvertently become frozen. Perhaps it got mistakenly put in the freezer, or maybe it was in the wrong part of the fridge and became partially iced over.

Whatever the case, it should still be disposed of if it freezes. You can sometimes tell if it’s been frozen – the solution may have a cloudy appearance, become discoloured or have particles floating in it. These are all signs that the medication is compromised and shouldn’t be used.

Once again, even if you just suspect that your Wegovy pen has been frozen, you’re best erring on the side of caution and getting rid of it.

How to tell if your Wegovy has gone bad

The solution in your Wegovy pens should be clear, colourless and without any specks. There are often some tell-tale signs that it’s gone bad:

• It’s cloudy
• It’s discoloured
• It’s got particles floating in it
• The pen is cracked, leaking or damaged, or appears to have been used before
• It’s passed its use-by date

Safe next steps if you’re unsure

If you’re not sure whether your Wegovy pen is safe to use, you can chat with your healthcare provider or go ahead and discard it.

Remember that Wegovy can’t just go in your usual rubbish bin. Instead, you’ll have to put your pens in a dedicated sharps bin – whether they’re opened or unopened, expired or potentially compromised.

Your GP or local pharmacy can provide you with a sharps disposal container, as long as you’ve got a prescription. Another option is a heavy-duty plastic container with a tight-fitting lid and a label clearly warning that it holds hazardous waste.

Your sharps bin will then need to be disposed of properly. Your local council might have a clinical waste collection service or a registered drop-off point, or you can check if your pharmacy or GP will take it.

This website lets you check whether your council has a collection service.

Can you inject Wegovy cold?

You certainly can inject Wegovy straight out of the fridge, as long as you’re comfortable doing it. Some people find it’s a little too cold as soon as it comes out and prefer to bring it to room temperature.

Just remember to keep those golden rules in mind: keep your medication in its box to avoid exposing it to light and pop it back in the fridge if the temperature gets above 30°C. 

If you’re bringing it to room temperature, you should keep the cap on the pen until you’re ready to use it – there’s a sharp needle underneath that could pose a danger to others.

Kickstart your weight loss journey with Juniper

Losing weight is tricky, and keeping it off can be even trickier. While diet and exercise are a great place to start, if you're not seeing the results you want, it may be time to consider a holistic weight loss programme with added support.

Approaching weight loss holistically can help you feel good, inside and out. The Juniper Programme combines weight loss medication with access to health tracking, clinical care and a community of like-minded women to help you lose weight for good and feel your best.

Our Programme uses GLP-1 medication, Wegovy, which contains the active ingredient semaglutide, as its tool for weight management, along with a carefully tailored support team to help you meet your goals.

While lifestyle and behavioural changes will help you keep weight off in the long term, combining these habits with medication will help kick-start your weight loss in the short term.

Wegovy can help with weight loss by resetting the body's metabolic patterns. It does this in 3 ways:

• It slows the rate your stomach empties: Semaglutide mimics the GLP-1 hormone, which is produced in your gut after eating, and helps you feel satiated. This helps you feel fuller for longer, which can help cut down on your total caloric intake.
• It suppresses your appetite and lowers cravings: Semaglutide reduces blood glucose and targets the 'reward centre' of your brain, which in turn, helps to limit cravings between meals. It also helps better control blood sugar levels.
• It lowers your 'set point': Your body is thought to have a specific baseline based on your DNA. Semaglutide targets your brain's receptors that control your appetite, which in turn works to lower your body's set point and lose weight.

Recent data on Wegovy’s 7.2mg dose shows an average weight loss of 20.7% after 72 weeks, showing how effective it can be when used consistently and with the right support [2].

If you need some more help or reassurance with using this medication for the first time, our support team is also here to help guide you.

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