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What is Wegovy 7.2 mg in Australia, and how does it compare with 2.4 mg?

The higher weekly semaglutide dose in the Australian label: who the label covers, how it is injected, trial results, side effects and PBS status.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished 12 Oct 20268 min read10 sourcesWritten from published sources

Written for Australia. Other country versions are coming.

The short answer

The Australian Wegovy label allows a 7.2 mg weekly dose, given as three 2.4 mg injections, for adults who started with a BMI of 30 or more, after at least 4 weeks on 2.4 mg. In a 72-week trial, weight fell 18.7% on 7.2 mg and 15.6% on 2.4 mg. Nausea and skin tingling were more common.

Key takeaways

  • The Australian Wegovy PI allows a 7.2 mg weekly dose, injected as three 2.4 mg doses, for adults whose BMI was 30 or more when they started.1
  • In the 72-week STEP UP trial, weight fell 18.7% on 7.2 mg, 15.6% on 2.4 mg and 3.9% on a dummy injection; Novo Nordisk paid for it.1,2
  • Nausea affected 40.3% on 7.2 mg, 34.9% on 2.4 mg and 12.5% on a dummy injection in the STEP UP trials, the Australian PI says.1
  • Altered skin feeling (dysaesthesia), such as tingling or burning, was reported by 21.6% on 7.2 mg against 0.3% on a dummy injection.1
  • Wegovy is not subsidised on the PBS at any dose as of October 2026, and the label caps heart-risk and fatty-liver use at 2.4 mg.1,5
On this page
  1. What does the Australian label say about Wegovy 7.2 mg?
  2. How is the 7.2 mg dose taken in Australia?
  3. How much more weight did people lose on 7.2 mg?
  4. Which side effects are more common at 7.2 mg?
  5. Is Wegovy 7.2 mg on the PBS, and what does it cost?
  6. When is the 7.2 mg dose not used?
  7. Questions people ask
  8. How we researched this

What does the Australian label say about Wegovy 7.2 mg?

It is a higher weekly dose of semaglutide, three times the usual 2.4 mg. The Australian label allows it only for adults with a BMI of 30 or more when they started treatment.1

Before you go further
  • Wegovy is a prescription-only medicine in Australia. A prescriber decides whether any dose suits you.
  • The label facts here come from the Australian Product Information (PI), the document the maker publishes for prescribers, revised 22 June 2026.1
  • We don't publish medicine prices for Australia. The TGA treats price information for prescription medicines as advertising unless strict rules are met.4
  • Every risk of semaglutide is in Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
  • This post describes the label and trials. It is not a plan for your treatment, and no dose guarantees any result.

Semaglutide copies a gut hormone, GLP‑1, that makes you feel full sooner and slows how fast the stomach empties.1 The PI wording is that a prescriber "can" move to 7.2 mg "if needed".1

  • Who the label covers: adults whose starting BMI was 30 or more, using Wegovy for weight management.1
  • Who it doesn't: adults who started with a BMI of 27 to under 30. Teenagers are capped at 2.4 mg.1
  • Other uses stay at 2.4 mg: lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke, and treating the liver disease MASH.1
  • If it doesn't add anything: the PI says to go back to 2.4 mg if there is no extra improvement in weight on 7.2 mg.1

Our post on BMI cut-offs for Asian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians explains the lower lines some groups get. The 7.2 mg wording in the PI names no ethnicity adjustment.1

How is the 7.2 mg dose taken in Australia?

As three 2.4 mg injections, one after another, on the same day each week. The injections can go in the same body area but at least 5 cm apart.1

The dose ladder starts at 0.25 mg and rises every 4 weeks: 0.5, 1, 1.7, then 2.4 mg from week 17.1 The move to 7.2 mg comes after at least 4 more weeks on 2.4 mg, so week 21 at the earliest.1

  • Pens and doses. Each Wegovy FlexTouch pen holds four doses.1 At 7.2 mg you use three doses a week, so a 2.4 mg pen lasts a week and a third, by our arithmetic.
  • Needles. The PI says to attach a new needle for each injection.1 Our post on sharps disposal covers what to do with them.
  • No single 7.2 mg pen. We found no 7.2 mg pen in the Australian PI; the strengths listed stop at 2.4 mg.1
  • Heat. After first use a FlexTouch pen may be kept out of the fridge for up to 42 days below 30°C.1 See storing your pen in an Australian summer.

How much more weight did people lose on 7.2 mg?

In STEP UP, weight fell 18.7% on 7.2 mg over 72 weeks, against 15.6% on 2.4 mg and 3.9% on a dummy injection.1,2

How these trials work: people are split at random, and one group gets a dummy injection (placebo) with no medicine in it. Everyone gets the same diet and activity advice. The gap between groups is what the medicine added. A trial average is not a promise.

STEP UPSemaglutide 7.2 mg vs 2.4 mg vs dummy

1,407 adults with obesity and no diabetes, average weight 113 kg, for 72 weeks. Novo Nordisk paid for the trial.2

Weight lost, % of starting weight

7.2 mg18.7%
2.4 mg15.6%
Dummy injection3.9%

7.2 mg added about 3 percentage points on top of 2.4 mg.

STEP UP T2DSemaglutide 7.2 mg vs dummy, with type 2 diabetes

512 adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes, for 72 weeks. A smaller 2.4 mg group also took part; the label table compares 7.2 mg with the dummy. Novo Nordisk paid for the trial.3

Weight lost, % of starting weight

7.2 mg13.2%
Dummy injection3.9%

HbA1c (average blood sugar) fell 1.5 percentage points more than on the dummy.

Put another way. In STEP UP, 47.7% on 7.2 mg lost at least a fifth of their weight, against 33.3% on 2.4 mg and 2.9% on the dummy.1 About 9 in 10 on either dose lost at least 5%, but so did 36.8% on the dummy.1

A worked example. For someone starting at 113 kg (249 lb), 18.7% is about 21 kg and 15.6% about 18 kg, by our arithmetic. The extra from the higher dose is about 3 kg.

The groups were uneven: 1,005 people on 7.2 mg, 201 on 2.4 mg and 201 on the dummy.1 Only 4.5% of people in STEP UP were Asian, and the PI gives no figure for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people.1

Which side effects are more common at 7.2 mg?

Stomach effects, and a changed feeling in the skin. About 1 in 5 people on 7.2 mg reported skin sensations such as tingling, against fewer than 1 in 100 on the dummy.1

Stomach side effects in the STEP UP trials
% of people, Australian Wegovy PI, Table 4
Australian Wegovy PI, section 4.8, STEP UP and STEP UP T2D combined, checked 12 Oct 2026. Constipation: 21.2%, 19.1% and 7.6%.1

So about 28 in 100 felt sick because of the 7.2 mg dose itself, by our arithmetic (40.3 minus 12.5).

Skin sensations. In STEP UP, events like tingling, burning or skin that is sensitive to touch were reported by 21.6% on 7.2 mg against 0.3% on the dummy.1 Most were mild to moderate, and 85% of these events cleared while people kept taking it.1 At 2.4 mg, the PI figure is 2.1% against 1.2%.1

Hair loss was reported by 5.3% on 7.2 mg in STEP UP, against 1.0% on the dummy, and was more common in people who lost 20% or more.1 Serious adverse events were 6.8% on 7.2 mg, 10.9% on 2.4 mg and 5.5% on the dummy.2

Free toolQuestions before a dose change

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Open the question list

Is Wegovy 7.2 mg on the PBS, and what does it cost?

Wegovy is not PBS-subsidised at any dose as of October 2026. We don't publish its price; the 7.2 mg dose uses three times as much medicine each week as 2.4 mg.1,5

The PBAC, which advises the government on the PBS, recommended Wegovy in November 2025 for a narrow group: people with established heart or blood vessel disease and obesity.5,6 The listing "has not yet occurred".5 That use is capped at 2.4 mg in the PI, so 7.2 mg would sit outside it.1

Private health insurance may pay towards some non-PBS medicines; our post on private health insurance and GLP‑1 medicines explains the limits. For prices in general, see what GLP‑1 medicines cost in Australia.

Why no price here? The TGA counts price information about prescription medicines as advertising, and only certain pharmacies and approved doctors may publish price lists, under set rules.4 We are neither, so we leave prices out.

When is the 7.2 mg dose not used?

The label excludes adults who started below a BMI of 30, teenagers, and the heart and liver uses. Other limits come from the warnings.1

  • Starting BMI under 30. The 7.2 mg step applies only to adults with a BMI of 30 or more at the start.1
  • Under 18. Weekly doses above 2.4 mg are not recommended for 12- to 17-year-olds.1
  • Bad stomach symptoms. The PI says to consider delaying a dose step until symptoms improve.1
  • Pregnancy. Semaglutide should not be used in pregnancy and should be stopped at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy.1
RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Stomach effects were the most common side effects, and more common at 7.2 mg than 2.4 mg.1
  • Pancreatitis was confirmed in 0.2% on Wegovy against under 0.1% on a dummy injection in the main weight trials. Severe forms can be fatal.1
  • Gallstones were reported in 1.6% on Wegovy against 1.1% on a dummy injection.1
  • Dehydration from vomiting or diarrhoea can harm the kidneys; some people have needed dialysis.1
  • Sudden loss of sight (NAION) has been linked to semaglutide. The TGA says to seek urgent care for any sudden vision loss.7
Full detail in Guide 5: Side effects and risks →
Get help now: call triple zero (000) if an illness is critical or life-threatening.8 For advice when you are not sure what to do, call the healthdirect nurse helpline free on 1800 022 222, 24 hours a day.8 If you think you have taken too much of a medicine, call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 at any time.9 Severe stomach pain that won't go away can be pancreatitis, and sudden loss of sight needs urgent care.1,7 You can report a side effect to the TGA online or through your GP or pharmacist.10

Questions people ask

Is Wegovy 7.2 mg available in Australia?

The Australian Wegovy PI includes a 7.2 mg weekly dose, given as three 2.4 mg injections, for adults with a starting BMI of 30 or more.1

How much more weight do you lose on Wegovy 7.2 mg?

In STEP UP, about 3 percentage points more than on 2.4 mg over 72 weeks: 18.7% against 15.6%. On a dummy injection it was 3.9%.1,2

What are the side effects of Wegovy 7.2 mg?

Mostly stomach effects: 40.3% on 7.2 mg felt sick, against 12.5% on a dummy injection. Skin sensations such as tingling were reported by 21.6% on 7.2 mg, against 0.3% on the dummy.1

Can you go straight to 7.2 mg?

No. The PI starts at 0.25 mg and steps up every 4 weeks to 2.4 mg. A move to 7.2 mg comes after at least 4 weeks on 2.4 mg.1

Is Wegovy 7.2 mg on the PBS?

No. Wegovy is not PBS-listed at any dose as of October 2026, and the recommended heart-disease listing would be capped at 2.4 mg by the PI.1,5

How we researched this

On 12 Oct 2026 we read the Australian Wegovy PI (revised 22 June 2026), the STEP UP and STEP UP T2D abstracts, the PBS medicine status page for Wegovy and the PBAC's advice on GLP‑1 obesity treatments. Side-effect rates come from the Australian PI; serious-event figures from the published STEP UP trial.

Both trials were paid for by Novo Nordisk, which makes Wegovy. We found no TGA announcement giving the date the 7.2 mg dose was approved, so we give none. We don't publish Australian medicine prices.

Before you move on

  • 7.2 mg is in the Australian label for adults who started with a BMI of 30 or more.
  • It is three 2.4 mg injections, after at least 4 weeks on 2.4 mg.
  • It added about 3 points of weight loss over 2.4 mg in one 72-week trial.
  • Wegovy is not PBS-subsidised at any dose.
Side effects and risksI'm already on itDoctor questions tool

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Sources

  1. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) Australian Product Information, revised 22 June 2026. medsinfo.com.au Sections 2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.6, 4.8, 5.1 (STEP UP and STEP UP T2D, Tables 4 and 14) and 6.4.
  2. Wharton S, Freitas P, Hjelmesæth J et al. Once-weekly semaglutide 7.2 mg in adults with obesity (STEP UP): a randomised, controlled, phase 3b trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2025;13(11):949–63. Funded by Novo Nordisk. DOI · PMID 40961952
  3. Lingvay I et al. Once-weekly semaglutide 7.2 mg in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes (STEP UP T2D): a randomised, controlled, phase 3b trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2025;13(11):935–48. Funded by Novo Nordisk. PMID 40961953
  4. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Applying the Advertising Code rules: price information. Updated 21 July 2026. tga.gov.au
  5. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Medicine status: semaglutide (Wegovy), established cardiovascular disease with obesity ("Medicine listed on the PBS: Has not yet occurred"). Information current as at 1 October 2026; page updated 23 July 2026. pbs.gov.au
  6. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. PBAC advice on equitable access to GLP-1 obesity treatments (priority groups; "a slow and managed roll-out"; "As of February 2026, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) advises that there are no shortages of any GLP-1 medication in Australia"). pbs.gov.au
  7. Therapeutic Goods Administration. GLP-1 RAs and rare vision disorder (NAION). Medicine Safety Update, 23 July 2026. tga.gov.au
  8. Healthdirect Australia. How healthdirect can help you ("call triple zero (000) for an ambulance immediately"; nurse helpline 1800 022 222, 24 hours a day). healthdirect.gov.au
  9. Healthdirect Australia. Poisoning (Poisons Information Centre, 13 11 26, any time). healthdirect.gov.au
  10. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Reporting adverse events for consumers (online, or through your GP, nurse practitioner, midwife or pharmacist). Updated 2 September 2026. tga.gov.au

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, nurse or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write