A guide to properly storing your weight loss injection pen

Why is correct storage important for weight loss pens?

You must store your weight loss pens correctly in order to:

• maintain the efficacy of the medicine (to ensure it provides the best results)
• prevent contamination or damage occurring, which could put you at an increased risk

Before their first use, weight loss injections must be kept cool (between 2 °C and 8 °C). Due to this, your package will be delivered to you with a special insulating material that keeps the products cold.

This material can keep its contents at the correct temperature for as long as 48 hours. When your package arrives, make sure to put your medication in the fridge straight away.

How can I safely store Wegovy?

Storing Wegovy and other weight loss injections is straightforward:

• Before opening your injection pen, store it in the fridge between 2 °C and 8 °C
• After opening your injection pen, continue storing in the fridge OR store at room temperature (between 8 °C and 30 °C).

You should not freeze your Wegovy pen at any point, either before or after opening it. You should also avoid storing it anywhere near direct sunlight, as this can cause the temperature to increase too much.

Top tips:

• To prevent your Wegovy pen from being exposed to sunlight, you can keep it in its original box.
• Don’t store the pen at the back of the fridge, where it is coolest. This could cause the medication to become too cold.
• Don’t leave your pen in the car, as it can easily get too hot or too cold without you realising.
• Try to dedicate one place in your home for your injection pen. This could be inside a drawer, a bathroom cabinet or in the fridge door.

Does Wegovy need to be refrigerated?

Before its first use, Wegovy does need to be refrigerated at all times (between 2 °C and 8 °C).

However, once you have broken the seal and used your pen, it can either be stored in the fridge or at room temperature.

The following table outlines the main difference between storing Wegovy in the fridge compared to room temperature.

How long can I safely store my weight loss injection pen?

All weight loss injections pens have an expiry date printed on the label. Before using a new pen, remember to check that the medication is still in date and therefore safe to use.

However, once you open a new pen the expiry date changes:

• Whether you store your pen in the fridge or at room temperature, the pen will only be safe to use for 6 weeks (42 days) after opening.

Wegovy pens contain 4 weekly doses, so you have plenty of time to use up your medication before it expires. There is ample time to take Wegovy even if you miss one of your weekly injections.

Please note: To help remind yourself of the new expiry date, we recommend writing it on the label as soon as you decide to open a new pen.

Storing other weight loss injections

Not all weight loss injections have the same storage instructions. The following table outlines the storage instructions for Wegovy, Saxenda and Mounjaro:

How should I store my injection pen while travelling?

When travelling, your weight loss pen mustn’t get too cold or too hot. Depending on where you are travelling to, it may be best to carry your medication inside a portable cooler.

Be wary when packing your pen inside of your suitcase as it may be exposed to higher or lower temperatures during transit.

Wegovy could freeze in the baggage compartment of a plane. Make sure to pack your pen inside your carry-on luggage if you plan to travel anywhere by plane.

What if I’ve been storing my pen incorrectly?

Unfortunately, if you’ve been storing your pen incorrectly (either below 2°C or above 30°C) your pen may no longer be safe to use and must be discarded.

To avoid discarding future pens, make sure to correctly store your medication either in the fridge or in a sensible place at home that isn’t near a light source (such as a bathroom cabinet).

If you’re ever unsure, check the solution. If it appears cloudy (no longer transparent and clear), this likely indicates that the medication has gone bad.

Please note: Any prescription medications including Wegovy should be stored well out of the reach of children.

How can I safely dispose of Wegovy pens?

Whether used, damaged or expired, any needles from weight loss injection pens must be safely disposed of in a sharps bin.

Sharps bins are specially designed to store needles and other sharp objects. They are usually bright yellow or orange (dependant on size) and made of hard plastic.

You will receive a sharps container along with your weight loss injection pens. You must use this specialised bin to dispose of any used needles. Throwing sharp objects in with your general waste can cause harm to yourself and others.

The plastic part of your injection pen should be recycled. The manufacturers of Wegovy, Novo Nordisk, encourage something called ‘pencycling’. It involves keeping your used plastic pens and sending it back to them to be reused.

Pencycling is free of charge and we encourage all of our patients to take part.