How to inject Ozempic: the pen steps from the official instructions

Before you start

• You will need your Ozempic pen, a new needle, an alcohol swab, a gauze pad or cotton ball, and a sharps disposal container ^[1].
• A NovoFine Plus 32G 4 mm needle comes with the pen. Other compatible disposable needles up to 8 mm can be used, so ask your healthcare professional about compatibility ^[1].
• Do not share your pen with anyone, even if the needle has been changed ^[1].
• If you are blind or have poor eyesight and cannot read the dose counter, do not use the pen without help from a trained person with good eyesight ^[1].

The five steps

Step 1. Prepare the pen with a new needle

• Wash your hands, check the pen name and colored label, and pull off the pen cap ^[1].
• Look through the pen window. The medicine should be clear and colorless. If it looks cloudy or contains particles, do not use the pen ^[1].
• Tear the paper tab off a new needle, push it straight onto the pen and turn until it is on tight ^[1].
• The needle has two caps and both must come off. If you forget, no medicine will be injected ^[1]. Keep the outer cap for later and throw the inner cap away.
• Always use a new needle for each injection, and never a bent or damaged one ^[1].

Step 2. Check the flow, for a new pen only

• Do this before the first injection with each new pen only. For a pen already in use, go to Step 3 ^[1].
• Turn the dose selector to the flow check symbol, hold the pen with the needle pointing up, and press and hold the dose button until the counter shows 0. A drop should appear at the needle tip ^[1].
• If no drop appears, repeat up to 6 times. If there is still no drop, change the needle and repeat once more. If a drop still does not appear, do not use the pen and contact Novo Nordisk on 1-888-693-6742 ^[1].

Step 3. Select your dose

• Turn the dose selector until the counter stops and shows your dose, 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg for this pen ^[1].
• Use the dose counter and dose pointer to see the dose. Do not count the clicks ^[1].
• If the counter stops before your dose, there is not enough medicine left for a full dose and you should use a new pen ^[1].

Step 4. Inject

• Choose your site, wipe the skin with an alcohol swab and let it dry ^[1]. The label’s sites are the abdomen, thigh or upper arm, with a different site each week in the same region ^[2].
• Insert the needle as your healthcare provider showed you. Keep the dose counter visible, since covering it with your fingers could stop the injection ^[1].
• Press and hold the dose button until the counter shows 0, and keep pressing with the needle in the skin ^[1].
• Count slowly to 6 while keeping the button pressed. If you remove the needle earlier, the full dose will not be delivered ^[1].
• Remove the needle from the skin. If blood appears, press lightly with gauze or a cotton ball and do not rub ^[1]. A drop at the needle tip afterward is normal ^[1].

Step 5. After the injection

• Unscrew the needle carefully. Do not put the caps back on it, to avoid needle sticks, and place it in a sharps container right away ^[1].
• Put the pen cap back on after each use to protect the medicine from light ^[1].
• Never try to put the inner needle cap back on, and always remove the needle from the pen after each injection ^[1].

Keep a log of your own

If something goes wrong

• The counter never reached 0. You may have a blocked or damaged needle and not received any medicine. Change the needle and start again from Step 1 ^[1].
• You dropped the pen. Attach a new needle and check the flow before you inject ^[1].
• You missed your weekly dose. See the missed dose guide. The label window is 5 days ^[2].

Storing the pen

• New, unused pens go in the refrigerator at 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C) ^[1].
• A pen in use can be kept for 56 days at room temperature (59°F to 86°F) or in the refrigerator, and should be thrown away after 56 days even if medicine is left ^[1].
• Do not freeze it or use it if it has been frozen. Keep it away from heat and light, with the cap on ^[1].
• Never use a syringe to withdraw medicine from the pen ^[1].