How do you store Ozempic and Mounjaro pens in Indian heat?
The storage temperature on the Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro labels, and what they say about power cuts, freezing and flights. Set against IMD's 2026 summer.
Written for India. Reading from the US? US versionComing soon
Keep unused pens in the fridge at 2–8 °C, away from the freezer, and never use one that has frozen. Once in use, Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro pens may stay out for weeks, but only at 30 °C or below. IMD only considers a heat wave on the plains once highs reach 40 °C.
Key takeaways
- Unused Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro pens belong in the fridge at 2–8 °C, and every label says not to use a pen that has frozen.1,3,5
- Every room-temperature allowance on these labels stops at 30 °C, with 30 days for an in-use Mounjaro KwikPen and 56 days (US) or 6 weeks (EU) for Ozempic.1,2,5
- India's weather office only considers a heat wave on the plains once highs reach 40 °C, and reported 44.5 °C at Sri Ganganagar in a 25 April 2026 release.12,13
- Rural India averaged 22.6 hours of power a day in 2024–25, which leaves about 1.4 hours a day without it (our arithmetic).15
- Lilly's UK travel advice says to carry the Mounjaro KwikPen in hand luggage, never checked bags, and keep it off ice or frozen gel packs.8
- GLP‑1 medicines are prescription-only in India, not sold over the counter.24
- A government statement on 1 Apr 2026 said only endocrinologists, internal-medicine specialists and cardiologists can prescribe them.23,24 CDSCO expert-committee minutes attach a similar condition to some approvals (endocrinologist or internal-medicine specialist), but we found no rule covering every brand.25,26
- A well-stored pen still carries the usual risks: Guide 5: Side effects and risks.
- We name brands only to report what their labels say. Nothing here recommends a brand, a seller or a cooling product.
On this page
- What do the labels say for each pen?
- How does 30 °C compare with an Indian summer?
- What should I do in a power cut?
- What if my pen got too hot or froze?
- How should a pharmacy keep and hand over pens?
- How do I carry my pen when I travel?
- What about Rybelsus tablets and generic pens or vials?
- Questions people ask
- How we researched this
What do the labels say for each pen?
Before first use, the Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro labels all say to keep the pen in a fridge at 2–8 °C, never frozen.1,3,5
That is the storage temperature for an unused pen. After first use, the time a pen may spend out of the fridge differs by pen, and by country.1,2,5
We could not find the Indian pack leaflets online. So the table gives the US and EU labels, named as such. The leaflet inside your own box is the rule that applies to your pen.
| Pen | Before first use | Once in use, outside the fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Ozempic pen | Fridge, 2–8 °C. Not in the freezer or next to the cooling element. Keep it in its box.1 | US: 56 days at 15–30 °C, or in the fridge.1 EU: 6 weeks below 30 °C for the 4-dose pen.2 |
| Wegovy FlexTouch pen | Fridge, 2–8 °C.3 EU: may reach you unrefrigerated, below 30 °C, for up to 48 hours.4 | US: 56 days at 15–30 °C, or in the fridge.3 EU: 6 weeks below 30 °C.4 The US FlexTouch holds only 2.4 mg doses; India's also comes in 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg, so the EU row is the closer match.3,17 |
| Mounjaro KwikPen 4 weekly doses per pen | Fridge, 2–8 °C, until the expiry date. US: if kept at up to 30 °C, throw it away after 30 days. Days out of the fridge before first use count toward the same 30-day total.5 | Fridge or up to 30 °C. Throw away 30 days after first use, or after 4 doses, whichever comes first.5,6 |
| Mounjaro single-dose vial | Fridge, 2–8 °C. If needed, up to 21 days in total at up to 30 °C, then throw it away.5,6 | Single use. Inject the dose, then throw the vial away.5 |
From the US labels (Ozempic May 2026, Wegovy June 2026, Mounjaro August 2026) and the EU product information. Not the Indian leaflets. Checked 5 Oct 2026.
The Mounjaro KwikPen and vial differ. Mounjaro came to India as single-dose vials in March 2025 and as the KwikPen in August 2025.29,20 The single-dose vial's limit is 21 days at room temperature before use. The KwikPen's is 30 days.5
The US label also lists a multi-dose Mounjaro vial, with the same 30-day rule as the KwikPen.5 We found no report of a multi-dose vial in India. Our short answer is How long can Mounjaro stay out of the fridge?
The rules every label shares. Keep the cap on or the pen in its box, to block light.1,4,5 Take the needle off after each injection.1 Lilly says a needle left on the KwikPen can let air bubbles form and upset the dose.7
Moving an in-use KwikPen in and out of the fridge is fine, Lilly says, within the 30 days.7 Our short answer on missed doses is What should you do if you miss a dose? Injection steps are in How do you inject Mounjaro with the KwikPen, and use the Ozempic pen?
How does 30 °C compare with an Indian summer?
An Indian summer runs far past the pens' 30 °C limit, with 44.5 °C reported in Rajasthan in April 2026 and 47.6 °C in May.13,14
IMD only considers a heat wave on the plains once the day's high reaches at least 40 °C.12
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) sets a floor by region: at least 40 °C on the plains and 30 °C in the hills.12 Above that floor, it counts a heat wave when the high is 4.5 °C or more above normal, or reaches 45 °C.12
Coastal stations need a high of 37 °C or more and a rise of 4.5 °C above normal.12 So in the hills, the heat-wave floor sits right at the pens' 30 °C limit.
On 25 April 2026, IMD reported highs of 40–44 °C across northwest, central and peninsular India. Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan hit 44.5 °C.13 IMD also warned of warm nights in north India.13
On 21 May, Banda in Uttar Pradesh recorded 47.6 °C, the highest in the country that day. Delhi had its warmest night in 14 years, by IMD's data.14
What this means for a pen. The labels' allowances assume 30 °C or below. In a room above that, the allowance no longer covers your pen.3,7 Lilly says to take whatever steps are needed so the KwikPen stays at or below 30 °C.7
The Ozempic leaflets go further. Don't leave the pen in a car or anywhere "it can get too hot or too cold".1,2 Keep it away from heat and direct sunlight.1,2
What should I do in a power cut?
In a power cut, keep the fridge shut, since unused pens need 2–8 °C while in-use pens may sit at up to 30 °C.1,5,16
In 2024–25, rural India averaged 22.6 hours of power a day, and towns and cities 23.4 hours.15 On average, that leaves about 1.4 hours a day without power in villages and 0.6 hours in cities (our arithmetic).15
We found no Indian guidance on GLP‑1 pens in power cuts. The nearest official advice is about food. The US FDA says an unopened fridge keeps food cold for about 4 hours.16 It also says to keep the fridge door closed as much as possible.16 That is food advice, not a medicine rule.
- A pen already in use may stay out of the fridge anyway, up to 30 °C, inside its 56-day, 6-week or 30-day window.1,2,5 A power cut only matters if the room passes 30 °C.
- An unused Mounjaro KwikPen has a US-label allowance: up to 30 days at up to 30 °C, then throw it away.5
- An unused Mounjaro single-dose vial can be kept up to 21 days in total at up to 30 °C; after that, throw it away (US and EU labels).5,6
- An unused Ozempic pen has no out-of-fridge time on the US or EU label before first use.1,2 Novo Nordisk's US medical-information page, not the Indian leaflet, adds a rule. An Ozempic pen that warmed above 8 °C, but stayed between 2 °C and 30 °C, must be used or thrown away within 56 days.28 If yours warmed up, ask your pharmacist before using it.
- An unused Wegovy FlexTouch pen: the US label gives no time out before first use.3 The EU label allows 48 hours below 30 °C, for getting it to you.4 The US single-dose Wegovy pen is a different device. It may be kept at 8–30 °C for up to 28 days before its cap comes off.3
If the room stays above 30 °C during a long cut, an in-use pen is outside its label too.3,7 The US Ozempic instructions say to write the throw-away date on your calendar.1
What if my pen got too hot or froze?
Every label says not to use a pen that froze, and none of the labels allows any time at all above 30 °C.1,3,5
The US Wegovy guide says to throw away a FlexTouch pen exposed to more than 30 °C.3 Novo Nordisk's US medical-information page sets limits for Ozempic. A pen can be used only if it never went below about 2 °C or above 30 °C. A pen that warmed above 8 °C, within those limits, must be used or thrown away within 56 days.28
- The pen froze. Don't use it. The EU KwikPen leaflet puts it in capitals: "DO NOT USE".1,4,5,6 Labels: Ozempic (US); Wegovy (EU); Mounjaro (US and EU).
- It went above 30 °C. Throw away a Wegovy FlexTouch pen exposed to temperatures above 30 °C.3 Lilly says to keep the KwikPen from going above 30 °C.7 Labels: Wegovy (US); Lilly UK medical information.
- It sat in direct sun. Don't inject it. "You might not get the intended effect of this medicine."2,4 Labels: Ozempic and Wegovy (EU).
- The liquid looks wrong. Don't use it if it is cloudy, discoloured or has particles.2,6 Ozempic should be clear and colourless.2 Labels: Ozempic and Mounjaro (EU).
- Its time is up. Throw it away when its out-of-fridge window ends, even with medicine left.1,5 Labels: Ozempic and Mounjaro (US).
None of these labels gives a home test for heat damage.3,7 Novo Nordisk's US medical-information page says to check Ozempic for flakes, or a change in colour or clarity, which may mean it has lost strength.28 A clear liquid does not prove a warm pen is fine.
Keep it away from the freezer. The US Ozempic and Wegovy labels say not to store pens in the freezer, or next to the cooling element.1,3
If you're unsure whether a pen is still usable, ask the pharmacist who dispensed it. The "Already on it" path lists what else to check.
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How should a pharmacy keep and hand over pens?
Pharmacies should keep unused pens cold at 2–8 °C, because CDSCO has warned their quality "may be compromised" if they are not stored properly.17
The EU labels do allow a short unrefrigerated trip to you, below 30 °C. That is up to 48 hours for Wegovy and 72 hours for the KwikPen.4,6
In August 2025, CDSCO flagged three batches of Wegovy FlexTouch pens stolen in transit.17 It said these injectables "are required to be stored at 2-8°C".17 It asked people to "procure the above products from authorized sources only and with proper invoice".17
CDSCO's draft rules on good distribution practice say storage must follow the maker's recommendations.18 Temperature records must be kept, and transport must stay within the label's limits.18 Routes must allow for "the climate and any seasonal variations".18
The document is marked "draft guidance … for feedback purposes only", and we found no final version.18
- At the counter, an unused pen should come from a fridge at 2–8 °C.17
- On the way home, keep it out of the sun and out of a parked car.1,2
- Keep the bill. It shows where the pen came from, which matters if a batch is recalled or faked.17 Our post Fake Ozempic and Mounjaro pens explains how to check a pack.
How do I carry my pen when I travel?
Carry your pen in hand luggage, never in checked bags, because the hold can get too hot or too cold and bags get lost.8,19
- Hand luggage only. Lilly's UK travel advice says not to put Mounjaro in checked luggage.8 Diabetes UK says the same for insulin, another fridge medicine.19
- Cool, not frozen. If you use a cool bag, the pen must not touch ice or frozen gel packs.8,19 Lilly says it does not test or sell coolers for its pens.8
- Airport X-rays. Lilly says security X-rays are "not known to affect" tirzepatide, the medicine in Mounjaro.8
- Count the days. An in-use pen's window keeps running while you travel. It's 30 days for the KwikPen, and 56 days (US) or 6 weeks (EU) for Ozempic.1,2,5
- Paperwork. Diabetes UK says airlines may ask for a letter from your doctor about the medicine and devices you carry.19 For travel abroad, Lilly says to check the rules of the country you're visiting.8
We could not open the Indian airport-security (BCAS) list or the airlines' own pages, so we don't quote them here. Our short answer on flights is Can you carry an Ozempic or Mounjaro pen on a flight?
Away from home, the same rule holds: at or below 30 °C, or back in a fridge.5,7
What about Rybelsus tablets and generic pens or vials?
Rybelsus tablets need no fridge but must stay in their pack, away from moisture, and we found no Indian generic maker's leaflet.9,10
Rybelsus. The EU label says it needs no special temperature. Keep it in the original blister to protect it from light and moisture.10 The US label, written for bottles, says 20–25 °C, with short spells at 15–30 °C allowed.9
Indian pharmacies list Rybelsus in strips of 10, so the EU blister wording is the closer match.27,10 Neither label says to keep it in the fridge.9,10 More in Is there an Ozempic tablet?
Generic semaglutide. Since March 2026, Indian makers sell semaglutide in disposable pens, reusable pens and vials.21 Natco's multi-dose vials were the first semaglutide vials in India.22 We found no maker leaflet online for any of them, so we have not checked their storage rules.
Dr Reddy's Canadian label for its own semaglutide pen allows 8 weeks in use at 15–30 °C.11 That matches Ozempic's US label (56 days) and its EU 8-dose pen (8 weeks).1,2 Ozempic's EU 4-dose pen gets 6 weeks.2
So the window depends on the pen and on which country's label you read. The Indian pack may differ, so read the leaflet in your box.
The same label says not to leave the pen in a car. Don't inject it if it froze or sat in direct sun.11 Our posts on what changed when the patent expired and pens, vials and tablets in Guide 6 cover the forms.
Questions people ask
How long can Mounjaro stay out of the fridge?
The KwikPen: up to 30 days at up to 30 °C, then throw it away, even with medicine left. A single-dose vial: up to 21 days in total at up to 30 °C before its one use.5
How long can an Ozempic pen stay out of the fridge?
Once in use: 56 days at 15–30 °C (US label), or 6 weeks below 30 °C (EU label). Before first use, it belongs in the fridge. Novo Nordisk's US medical information says an unused pen that warmed, but stayed at or below 30 °C, must be used or thrown away within 56 days.1,2,28
My pen froze in the fridge. Can I still use it?
No. The Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro labels all say not to use a pen that has frozen. Keep pens away from the cooling element.1,4,5
Is my pen safe during a power cut?
An in-use pen may be out of the fridge anyway, up to 30 °C. For unused pens, keep the fridge shut. The US FDA says a closed fridge keeps food cold for about 4 hours.1,5,16
Can I put my pen in checked luggage?
No. Lilly says to carry Mounjaro in hand luggage, because the hold can get too hot or too cold.8
Does Rybelsus need a fridge?
No. The EU label says it needs no special temperature, but keep it in its blister, away from light and moisture.10
How we researched this
On 5 October 2026 we downloaded the US and EU labels for Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Rybelsus. We read each storage section in full. We added Lilly's UK medical answers on KwikPen storage and travel, and Novo Nordisk's US medical-information page on Ozempic storage.
We could not find the Indian pack leaflets, or any Indian generic maker's leaflet, online. Indian context comes from IMD, PIB and CDSCO documents. We cut advice on cars, inverters and cool bags that we could not source.
Before you move on
- Unused pens: fridge, 2–8 °C, away from the freezer.
- In-use pens: out of the fridge only at 30 °C or below, and only for their window.
- A pen that froze is not used.
- Travel: hand luggage, never touching ice.
More from the India 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: new brands, price changes, approvals, recalls and safety alerts. How we write
Sources
- Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) injection US prescribing information and Instructions for Use, revised May 2026, section 16.2 (US label, not Indian). PDF
- European Medicines Agency. Ozempic: EU product information (SmPC sections 6.3–6.4 and package leaflet) (EU label, not Indian). PDF
- Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) US prescribing information and Medication Guide, revised June 2026 (US label, not Indian). PDF
- European Medicines Agency. Wegovy: EU product information (EU label, not Indian). PDF
- Eli Lilly and Company. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) US prescribing information, revised August 2026, section 16.2 (US label, not Indian). PDF
- European Medicines Agency. Mounjaro: EU product information (SmPC 6.3–6.4; KwikPen leaflet section 5) (EU label, not Indian). PDF
- Lilly Medical (UK). How should the Mounjaro (tirzepatide) KwikPen be stored? 27 May 2026 (UK source). Link
- Lilly Medical (UK). How should patients store the Mounjaro (tirzepatide) KwikPen during transport and travel? 14 August 2025 (UK source). Link
- Novo Nordisk. Rybelsus (semaglutide) tablets US prescribing information, revised January 2026, storage and handling (US label, not Indian). PDF
- European Medicines Agency. Rybelsus: EU product information, section 6.4 and package leaflet (EU label, not Indian). PDF
- Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. Semaglutide Injection product monograph, Health Canada, date of authorization 28 April 2026 (Canadian label, not Indian). PDF
- India Meteorological Department. FAQ on Heat Wave. Accessed 5 October 2026. PDF
- Press Information Bureau (Ministry of Earth Sciences). IMD issues comprehensive heatwave guidance as temperatures rise across regions. 25 April 2026. Link
- Time Out India (Poulomi Deb). Delhi sees warmest night in 14 years: where India's heat is hitting hardest (citing IMD data). 22 May 2026. Link
- Press Information Bureau. India's Power Sector: Progress, Reform, and the Road Ahead. 18 March 2026. PDF
- US FDA. Power outages: key tips for consumers about food safety. Content current as of 2 February 2018 (US food advice, not a medicine rule). Link
- CDSCO, Enforcement & Intelligence Cell. Alert on theft of multiple drug products of M/s Novo Nordisk during transit. F. No. Enforc-11021(11)/46/2025-eoffice, 21 August 2025. PDF · archived copy
- CDSCO. Guidelines on Good Distribution Practices for Pharmaceutical Products, Document CDSCO/GDP.PP Ver. 00 (draft guidance). Accessed 5 October 2026. PDF · archived copy
- Diabetes UK. Travelling with diabetes (advice written for insulin; UK source). Accessed 5 October 2026. Link
- GuruFocus via Yahoo Finance. Eli Lilly fires up GLP-1 race in India with Mounjaro pen launch. 13 August 2025. Link
- Pearce IP. Generic semaglutide launches in India, including by Dr Reddy's, Zydus, Alkem, Sun Pharma, Glenmark. 21 March 2026. Link
- BusinessToday. Natco opens semaglutide market at Rs 1,290, sets early price benchmark. 20 March 2026. Link
- PIB Research (Government of India). GLP-1 drugs: use, risks, and regulation. 1 April 2026. PDF
- Outlook India. Govt cracks down on unauthorised sale of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, warns of legal action (government statement). 1 April 2026. Link
- CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), 20–21 April 2023. Item 1, tirzepatide. PDF · Archived copy
- CDSCO. Recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee (Endocrinology & Metabolism), 13–14 February 2024. Items 3–4, semaglutide. PDF · Archived copy
- PharmEasy and Medkart product listings, Rybelsus pack size (strip of 10), checked 5 October 2026. Cited as plain text, not linked.
- Novo Nordisk Medical (US). GLP-1 RAs storage and stability: Ozempic. Accessed 5 October 2026 (US medical information, not the Indian leaflet). Link
- The Tribune. Eli Lilly launches Mounjaro in India for anti-obesity treatment. 20 March 2025. Link
Last checked 5 Oct 2026 · Next review due 5 Oct 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 before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. How we write