Can teenagers in the UAE take Wegovy or other weight-loss medicines?
What is licensed for under-18s, how obesity is measured in teens, what the trials found, the risks, and what parents in the UAE should know.
Written for the United Arab Emirates. Other country versions are coming.
Some can. The EU labels license Wegovy and Saxenda for teenagers from age 12 with obesity and a weight over 60 kg. Mounjaro is licensed for children only for type 2 diabetes, from age 10. A UAE paediatric endocrinologist says these medicines come only after lifestyle changes, and only with health problems.
Key takeaways
- The EU Wegovy label allows it from age 12 for obesity, judged on growth charts, in teenagers who weigh more than 60 kg.1
- The EU Mounjaro label covers type 2 diabetes from age 10, but says its safety and benefit for weight have not been established under 18.2
- In STEP TEENS, 201 teenagers took Wegovy or a dummy injection for 68 weeks; BMI fell 16.1% on Wegovy and rose 0.6% on the dummy.1
- Gallstones affected about 4 in 100 teenagers on Wegovy in that trial (3.8%), against none on the dummy injection.1
- Abu Dhabi's Thiqa cover for obesity medicines applies only to adults aged 18 and over.3
On this page
- Which weight-loss medicines are licensed for teenagers?
- How is obesity measured in a teenager?
- What did the trials in teenagers find?
- When do doctors consider a medicine for a teenager?
- Does Thiqa or insurance cover it for teenagers?
- What should parents watch out for?
- Questions people ask
- How we researched this
Which weight-loss medicines are licensed for teenagers?
On the EU labels, Wegovy and Saxenda can be used for obesity from age 12. Mounjaro is licensed for children only for type 2 diabetes.1,4,2
- GLP‑1 medicines are prescription-only in the UAE. They should only be used under medical supervision, with a prescription from a doctor licensed in the UAE.5
- Label facts here come from the EU label (EMA), the UK label or the US label (FDA), named each time. We could not find the UAE pack leaflets online, so check the leaflet in your own pack.
- Every risk of these medicines is in Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
- This post describes labels, rules and trials. It is not a plan for your treatment, and no dose or brand guarantees any result.
| Medicine | Weight use in teenagers (EU label) | Other use under 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Wegovy (semaglutide) | From 12, with obesity on the growth charts and weight over 60 kg1 | Not established under 121 |
| Saxenda (liraglutide 3 mg) | From 12, with obesity and weight over 60 kg4 | EU label also covers ages 6 to 114 |
| Mounjaro (tirzepatide) | Not established under 182 | Type 2 diabetes from age 102 |
EU labels, checked 12 Oct 2026. We could not find the UAE regulator’s own approval text for teenagers.
In July 2026 a UAE paediatric endocrinologist told Khaleej Times that Wegovy is approved for obesity in adolescents aged 12 and above “under specific medical criteria”. She said Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes in children aged 10 and over, “not for weight loss”.6
She said a common mistake is parents thinking any GLP‑1 approved for children can be used for weight loss.6 Saxenda and Wegovy are both on Abu Dhabi’s official drug list.7
How is obesity measured in a teenager?
Not with the adult BMI lines. A teen's BMI is compared with growth charts for their age and sex; obesity means the top 5% (the 95th percentile) or above.1
| Age | Boys: obesity from BMI | Girls: obesity from BMI |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | 24.2 | 25.2 |
| 15 | 26.8 | 28.1 |
| 17 | 28.2 | 29.6 |
The 95th-percentile line from US growth charts, as printed in the EU Wegovy label, Table 1.1
So a 15-year-old girl has obesity on these charts from a BMI of about 28, not 30. The Saxenda label uses a different international chart for teenagers.4
In the UAE’s 2024–25 national health survey, 16.1% of children aged 6 to 17 had obesity, against 2.2% of children under five.8
What did the trials in teenagers find?
In STEP TEENS, BMI fell by 16.1% on Wegovy and rose by 0.6% on a dummy injection over 68 weeks. Body weight fell 14.7%, against a 2.8% gain.1
The trial included 201 teenagers aged 12 to 17, all also on diet and activity advice.1 For a 100 kg teenager, a 14.7% fall is about 15 kg. These are averages.
The older Saxenda trial was a separate study in different teenagers, so its results can’t be compared directly with STEP TEENS. Over 56 weeks, weight fell 2.65% on Saxenda and rose 2.37% on a dummy injection. After stopping, BMI scores rose again over the next 26 weeks.4
- Stomach effects in teenagers on Wegovy were similar in type, frequency and severity to adults: mostly nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.1
- Gallstones were reported in about 4 in 100 teenagers on Wegovy (3.8%), against none on the dummy injection.1
- Growth: no effects on growth or puberty were found after 68 weeks. Longer data are limited.1
- Low blood sugar has been reported in teenagers on Saxenda.4
- Weight regain is likely after stopping if habits haven’t changed, a UAE paediatric endocrinologist said.6
What to ask the doctor, what to watch for, and how to support a child or teenager without blame.
When do doctors consider a medicine for a teenager?
Only after lifestyle changes have been tried properly, and when obesity comes with health problems such as prediabetes, fatty liver or high cholesterol, the UAE specialist said.6
She said teenagers on these medicines are checked regularly for blood sugar, liver health, cholesterol, muscle mass, bone health and growth.6 The EU Saxenda label says liraglutide in younger children should be started by a doctor experienced in childhood obesity.4
- A 12-week check. The EU Wegovy label sets a check at 12 weeks on the full or highest tolerated dose. If BMI has not fallen at least 5%, stop and re-evaluate.1
- No higher doses. It says weekly doses above 2.4 mg are not recommended for teenagers.1
- Saxenda’s check is a 4% fall in BMI or BMI score after 12 weeks.4
Does Thiqa or insurance cover it for teenagers?
Not Thiqa's obesity programme: it applies only to adults aged 18 and over, and says it does not apply to children unless specific guidelines are set.3
Abu Dhabi’s 2025 obesity standard also covers adults only.10 We found no UAE public rule on insurance cover for weight medicines in under-18s. Ask the insurer directly, in writing.
What should parents watch out for?
Products sold online or on social media. Abu Dhabi has warned against buying Ozempic or Mounjaro without a prescription, online or through adverts, after fakes were found.11
In July 2026 the Emirates Drug Establishment acted against 71 sources selling unapproved “peptide” weight-loss products, and referred 14 influencers to the National Media Office.12 None of these products is approved, for adults or children.
“They are breakthrough medications, but they are not magic pills,” the UAE paediatric endocrinologist said.6 Our path for helping a family member covers how to raise it with a doctor.
Questions people ask
Can a 14-year-old take Wegovy in the UAE?
The EU label allows Wegovy from 12 with obesity on the growth charts and a weight over 60 kg. A UAE specialist says it is approved here for adolescents under specific criteria. A doctor decides.1,6
Is Mounjaro approved for teenagers?
For type 2 diabetes from age 10, on the EU label. Not for weight loss under 18.2
Do weight-loss injections affect growth?
In the Wegovy teen trial, no effects on growth or puberty were found after 68 weeks. Longer-term data are limited.1
Does Thiqa cover weight-loss injections for children?
No. Thiqa's obesity medicine policy applies only to adults aged 18 and over.3
Will my teenager regain weight after stopping?
Regain is likely without lasting habit changes, a UAE paediatric endocrinologist said. In the Saxenda teen trial, BMI rose again after stopping.6,4
How we researched this
On 12 Oct 2026 we read the EU labels for Wegovy, Saxenda and Mounjaro (indications, dosing and the teen trials), Abu Dhabi’s Thiqa policy and obesity standard, and a Khaleej Times report quoting a UAE paediatric endocrinologist.
We could not find the Emirates Drug Establishment’s own approval text for teenagers, so the UAE status comes from that doctor’s statement. We left out one family’s weight-loss story from the same report: one case is not evidence.
Before you move on
- EU labels: Wegovy and Saxenda from 12 for obesity; Mounjaro for diabetes only.
- Teen obesity is judged on growth charts, not adult BMI.
- Gallstones and stomach effects are the main recorded risks.
- Thiqa obesity cover is for adults only.
More from the UAE blog
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An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don't sell medicines, take drug-company money or earn clinic commissions. Once a month: UAE approvals, official price changes, insurance rules and safety alerts. How we write
Sources
- European Medicines Agency. Wegovy (semaglutide injection and tablets): EU summary of product characteristics and package leaflet, sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.8, 5.1, 6.3, 6.4. PDF ema.europa.eu
- European Medicines Agency. Mounjaro (tirzepatide): EU summary of product characteristics and package leaflet (EU label), sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.8, 5.1, 6.3, 6.4. PDF ema.europa.eu
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Thiqa reimbursement policy for obesity medications, DoH/Policy/TRP-OMM/HPS/V1/2025, published and effective 11 June 2025. PDF doh.gov.ae
- European Medicines Agency. Saxenda (liraglutide 3 mg): EU summary of product characteristics, sections 4.1, 4.2, 5.1. PDF ema.europa.eu
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Circular 48/2026, 16 March 2026: alert on fake GLP‑1 products. GLP‑1 medicines "are prescription-only medicines and should only be used under medical supervision"; unregistered products are sold online and on social media; reports to the DoH pharmacovigilance team at [email protected]. Summarised, not reproduced, as the circular asks. PDF doh.gov.ae
- Khaleej Times. UAE parents increasingly seek weight-loss injections for children amid GLP‑1 buzz. 14 July 2026. khaleejtimes.com
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Drug master list (Drugs.xlsx), release 26 September 2026, effective 2 October 2026: "Package Price to Public" for each registered pack, in dirhams. Downloaded 12 October 2026. XLSX shafafiyaportal.doh.gov.ae
- Gulf News. UAE residents smoke less, embrace more active lifestyles: MOHAP National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024–2025. 6 January 2026. gulfnews.com
- Department of Digital Ajman. Handling emergencies: 999 police, 998 ambulance, 997 civil defence; Ministry of Health and Prevention hotline 80011111 for fake or harmful medicines. Checked 12 October 2026. ajman.ae
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Standard for Non-Surgical Management of Obesity, DOH/ST/HPS/Non-Surgical-MO/V1/2025, published February 2025. Sections 3.3–3.4, 4.1 and Appendix 4. PDF doh.gov.ae
- Department of Health – Abu Dhabi. Circular 10/2025, 4 February 2025, "Alert Against the Use of Counterfeit Version of Ozempic and Mounjaro" sold through social media; the public should not buy them without a prescription, online or through adverts. Summarised, not reproduced. PDF doh.gov.ae
- Gulf News. UAE weight-loss drug crackdown: 71 sources, 14 influencers face action (Emirates Drug Establishment). 25 July 2026. gulfnews.com
Last checked 12 Oct 2026 · Next review due 12 Apr 2027 · Report an error
How this post was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It's general information, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write