How to get Ozempic
You need a prescription from a physician or nurse practitioner, then a pharmacy to fill it. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes, and any other use is a decision your prescriber makes.
What Ozempic is approved for
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a once-weekly pen. Its monograph, the Health Canada-approved prescribing document, lists use in adults with type 2 diabetes and does not list pediatric use. Wegovy is the semaglutide product approved for chronic weight management.
Steps
- Book an assessment. See your family doctor, a walk-in clinic or a nurse practitioner (a nurse with advanced training who can diagnose and prescribe), or use an online provider. Bring your history and any medications. Online services differ in how much follow-up they include, so read how they work.
- Get the prescription. The prescriber decides whether Ozempic suits you and which pen. Ask them to write the strength and how many weeks it should cover.
- Check your drug plan before filling. Public plans in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta list Ozempic for type 2 diabetes with conditions, which usually means a code or special authorization (your prescriber sends the plan a form first). See drug plan rules.
- Choose a pharmacy and ask for a quote. Ask for the drug price and dispensing fee separately, because pharmacies set their own. We haven’t published checked prices yet, so see the Ozempic price page.
- Fill and learn the routine. Your pharmacist can show you the pen. Your prescriber guides dose steps.
- Plan renewals. Prescriptions expire or run out of refills. Ask your prescriber how renewals work and whether a pharmacist in your province can extend one.
Who can prescribe
Your family doctor, a walk-in clinic physician or a nurse practitioner is the usual route. We haven’t confirmed the current rules on pharmacist prescribing of GLP-1s in each province, so we don’t list them. Ask your pharmacist what they can do.
What to do next
- Compare online providers and their program costs.
- Ask your insurer or provincial plan what it requires.
- See what drives the Ozempic price.
Questions people ask
Can I get Ozempic without a prescription in Canada?
No. Ozempic is a prescription drug, and a pharmacy needs a valid prescription to dispense it.
Can I get Ozempic online in Canada?
Some online services connect you with a Canadian prescriber, who then decides whether to prescribe. Your prescriber makes that call, and the pharmacy fills it.
Is Ozempic the same as Wegovy?
Both contain semaglutide, but they are separate products with different approved uses and doses. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for chronic weight management.
What if my prescriber suggests Ozempic for something other than type 2 diabetes?
That is called off-label use, meaning a use outside the approved indications. It is the prescriber's decision, and your drug plan may not pay for it.