Ozempic Pen and Needles: What the Instructions for Use Cover

Short answer: The Ozempic® (semaglutide) pen is a multi-dose, dial-a-dose pen: one pen holds several weekly doses, and you attach a new needle for every injection. Its Instructions for Use (IFU) has you check the flow once with each new pen, set the dose with the dose counter rather than by counting clicks, and keep the button pressed after the counter reaches zero. This page maps what the label and the IFUs cover; the IFU that comes with your own pen is the final word.

What Ozempic devices does the label list?

Section 16 of the Ozempic label on DailyMed (updated June 1, 2026) lists two kinds of device.

Device	What the label says	Needle
Single-patient-use pen (multiple weekly doses)	Three pens, each made for a set dose range. Each pen holds several weekly doses and is for one person only	Separate: NovoFine Plus needles come in the carton
Single-dose prefilled syringe	One complete dose per syringe, four syringes per carton	Built into the syringe

Your prescriber chooses the pen and the dose, so strengths are not covered here. Section 1 lists Ozempic’s uses for adults with type 2 diabetes. Wegovy® (semaglutide) is a separate product with its own devices; see Wegovy pen vs FlexTouch and how Ozempic and Wegovy compare.

What needles does the Ozempic pen use?

The pen IFU (revised June 2026) says: “NovoFine® Plus 32G 4 mm disposable needles are included with your OZEMPIC pen.” If you need more, it says “NovoFine® Plus, NovoFine® or other compatible disposable needles with a length up to 8 mm can be used,” and to ask your healthcare professional about compatibility.

• A new needle every time. The IFU says this reduces the risk of contamination, infection, leakage, and “blocked needles leading to the wrong dose.”
• Two caps. Pull off the outer needle cap and keep it, then pull off the inner cap and throw it away. “If you forget to remove both caps, you will not inject any medicine.”
• Never reuse or share needles, and never use a bent or damaged one.
• Take the needle off after each injection and store the pen without a needle attached.

MedlinePlus says the same in plain terms: “Never reuse needles and never share needles or pens,” and “Always remove the needle right after you inject your dose.” Section 5.4 of the label adds that Ozempic pens “must never be shared between patients, even if the needle is changed.”

How do you use the Ozempic pen?

The pen IFU has five steps. The table is a map of what each step covers, not a replacement for the IFU.

Step	What the IFU covers
1. Prepare the pen with a new needle	Wash your hands. Check the name and colored label, which the IFU says “is especially important if you take more than 1 type of medicine.” Pull off the pen cap, check that the medicine is clear and colorless, attach a new needle, and remove both caps
2. Check the flow (new pen only)	Before the first injection with each new pen, turn the dose selector to the flow check symbol, hold the pen with the needle up, and press until the counter shows 0. A drop should appear at the needle tip. If none does after the repeats and needle change the IFU allows, do not use the pen and contact Novo Nordisk
3. Select your dose	Turn the dose selector until the counter shows your prescribed dose. It must line up exactly with the dose pointer
4. Inject	Insert the needle the way your healthcare provider showed you, keep the dose counter visible, and press and hold the button until the counter shows 0. Keep pressing with the needle in your skin while you count to six, then remove the needle
5. After your injection	Remove the needle and put it straight into a sharps container. Do not put the needle caps back on, and put the pen cap back on to protect the medicine from light

If you take the needle out early, the IFU says you may see a stream of medicine from the needle tip, and “the full dose will not be delivered.” A drop at the needle tip after the injection is normal.

Why does the IFU say not to count clicks?

“You will hear a ‘click’ every time you turn the dose selector. Do not set the dose by counting the number of clicks you hear.” The IFU also says the selector “clicks differently when turned forward or backward,” and that only the dose counter and dose pointer show how much you have selected. The check is what you see in the counter window, not what you hear. Any question about how much medicine a pen delivers is one for your prescriber or pharmacist.

How do you know how much is left in the pen?

The IFU says to turn the dose selector until the counter stops. If it stops before your dose, there is not enough left for a full dose: “do not use it. Use a new OZEMPIC pen.” It also says, “Never use a syringe to withdraw OZEMPIC from your pen.”

Time is the second limit. The pen in use “should be disposed of (thrown away) after 56 days, even if it still has OZEMPIC left in it,” and the IFU adds: “Write the disposal date on your calendar.”

Where do you inject Ozempic?

Section 2.1 says to inject under the skin of the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm, and to use a different injection site each week when injecting in the same body region. The Medication Guide says not to inject into a muscle or a vein.

• With insulin: the label says to give them as separate injections and never mix them. Both can go in the same body region, “but the injections should not be adjacent to each other.”
• With the prefilled syringe: its IFU lists the stomach area at least 2 inches from the belly button, the thighs, and the back of the upper arm “only with help from someone else,” and says to avoid the exact spot you used last time.

For rotation across brands, see GLP-1 injection sites.

What if no drop appears or the needle is blocked?

The IFU says that if the counter does not return to 0 while you keep pressing, you may have a blocked or damaged needle, and “you have not received any OZEMPIC even though the dose counter has moved.” It tells you to change the needle and start again from Step 1. If you drop the pen or suspect a problem, attach a new needle and check the flow before you inject.

For pen problems the IFU lists Novo Nordisk at 1-888-693-6742. If you are not sure whether a dose went in, ask your prescriber before you do anything else; do not guess.

How do you store, carry and throw away the pen?

	Ozempic pen	Ozempic prefilled syringe
Before first use	Refrigerator, 36°F to 46°F, until the expiration date; not next to the cooling element; never frozen	Refrigerator, 36°F to 46°F; never frozen
After first use or out of the refrigerator	Up to 56 days at 59°F to 86°F or in the refrigerator, with the pen cap on and no needle attached	If needed, up to 28 days at 46°F to 86°F
Disposal	Used pen and needles go into an FDA-cleared sharps disposal container right away	The used syringe goes into a sharps container right away

The IFU also says to “Always carry an extra pen and new needles with you, in case of loss or damage,” and not to leave the pen in a car or anywhere it can get too hot or too cold. The FDA says not to throw loose needles in the trash or put sharps in a recycling bin. More in Storing and traveling with GLP-1 pens and GLP-1 pen and needle disposal.

How can you keep track?

Two details on the label are easy to lose: the 56-day limit for a pen in use and a different site each week. A short log with the date of each shot, the site, and the day you started a new pen covers both, and it gives your prescriber a clear history. Weeko, a shot tracker coming to iPhone and Android, is built for that kind of log; it does not suggest doses.

When to call your doctor

Ask your prescriber or pharmacist to show you the pen before your first injection. The Ozempic Medication Guide says to stop using Ozempic and call your healthcare provider right away for severe pain in your stomach area that will not go away, with or without vomiting. Get medical help right away for signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat, problems breathing or swallowing, severe rash or itching, fainting or feeling dizzy, or a very rapid heartbeat. Tell your provider about changes in vision, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea that does not go away, signs of gallbladder problems, or a lump or swelling in your neck, and tell all your healthcare providers you take Ozempic before surgery or a procedure with anesthesia or deep sedation. If you take too much, call your healthcare provider or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222, or go to the nearest emergency room right away.