Key takeaways
Ozempic (semaglutide) prescriptions come with enough needles for all the doses in your pen.
While in most cases you will not need extra needles, there may be some instances when you may, such as for travel or backup.
The Ozempic pen comes with NovoFine 32 G 4 mm needles. You can ask your healthcare provider to prescribe a compatible needle, if needed, as some states require a prescription for needles.
Ozempic (semaglutide) is a commonly prescribed drug used for managing glucose levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. It is also used for cardiovascular risk reduction, kidney disease, and off-label for weight management. Ozempic is injected once a week by subcutaneous route (under the skin) with a pen injector. When using Ozempic, you attach a needle to the pen. Your prescription comes with a supply of NovoFine Plus needles. However, is the included supply enough? What do you do if you need more pen needles?
Does Ozempic come with needles?
Ozempic pens come with enough needles for all of the injections in the pen. You will use a new needle for each injection. The number of needles it comes with depends on the dose prescribed:
- The 2 mg/3 mL pen contains four doses of 0.25 mg and two doses of 0.5 mg, or four doses of 0.5 mg. This pen comes with six needles.
- The 4 mg/3 mL pen contains four doses of 1 mg and comes with four needles.
- The 8 mg/3mL pen contains four doses of 2 mg and comes with four needles.
This means you should have one needle for every dose in your pen.
What kind of needles does Ozempic use?
The Ozempic pen is supplied with NovoFine Plus 32 gauge (G) 4 millimeter (mm) single-use disposable needles. According to the manufacturer’s website, these needles are designed for less pain and to make injections more comfortable.
However, the pen can also be used with other disposable needles up to a length of 8 mm, according to Ozempic’s prescribing information.
In addition to your Ozempic pen and needles, you will need the following supplies: alcohol swabs, a cotton ball or gauze, and a sharps container.
Do you need extra needles for Ozempic?
In most cases, you should not require extra needles for your Ozempic pen. However, there may be a rare case where you may. For example, when you use a new Ozempic pen for the first time, you need to make sure a drop of medicine appears at the needle tip. If no drop appears, your needle may be blocked or damaged, and you should not use that needle.
Some other reasons you may need extra needles are:
- If you lose a needle or needles
- If you accidentally bend or contaminate a needle
- If you prefer to keep extra needles on hand for travel or a backup supply.
Or, in some cases, your health care professional may suggest you take a lower dose than typically prescribed, which could leave you with extra medicine but not extra needles (just keep in mind that Ozempic has an expiration date of 56 days after the first use, even if there is still medicine left in the pen).
Where can you get extra Ozempic needles?
If you need extra needles, the good news is that they are easy to find. Your local pharmacy should carry universal fit pen needles that are compatible with Ozempic injection pens. Novo Nordisk, Ozempic’s manufacturer, notes that the NovoFine Plus 32G 4 mm needles that come with Ozempic are the thinnest available needles for GLP-1 receptor agonists.
These needles are included in sample pens that you may get from your healthcare provider, as well as prescription pens of Ozempic. While needles are typically sold in boxes of 100, these needles are not available in 100-count boxes. However, you can purchase NovoFine 32G 6 mm needles in boxes of 100 from your pharmacy. Some states may sell these over the counter, while others require a prescription. Your healthcare provider can prescribe compatible needles, if needed. You can check this website for more information about whether your state requires a prescription for insulin syringes or pen needles.
Additionally, there are other types of needles that are compatible with the Ozempic pen. The table below outlines some of the common Ozempic replacement needles. Your pharmacy will likely carry at least one of these, and can dispense one if you have a prescription. If they do not carry any of these, they likely stock another compatible pen needle, or they will be able to order a box of compatible pen needles for you.
Compare Ozempic replacement needles |
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Brand | SingleCare price* | Savings |
Droplet pen needles | $43 for 1 box of 100 pen needles | Get coupon |
Relion pen needles | $43 for 1 box of 100 pen needles | Get coupon |
BD Nano Ultra-fine pen needles | $43 for 1 box of 100 pen needles | Get coupon |
Easy touch pen needles | $43 for 1 box of 100 pen needles | Get coupon |
Techlite plus pen needles | $43 for 1 box of 100 pen needles | Get coupon |
Ulticare Micro pen needles | $43 for 1 box of 100 pen needles | Get coupon |
*Price at time of publication. Prices fluctuate and vary by pharmacy.
How to replace Ozempic needles
After your weekly injection, follow these steps to remove your needle from the pen and dispose of the needle:
- Carefully remove the needle from the pen (do not put the needle caps—inner or outer—back on the needle, as this could cause a needle stick).
- Put the needle in a sharps container right away.
- After you have removed the needle, place the pen cap back on your pen. If the pen is empty, discard it in the sharps container, too.
If you do not have an FDA-cleared sharps container, you can use a container that is leak-resistant, made of heavy-duty plastic, can stay upright and stable, and can be closed with a tight-fitting lid that is resistant to punctures—such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. The container should be properly labeled “hazardous waste.” Once your sharps container is almost full, follow your community guidelines on how to safely dispose of the container. You should not dispose of it in your household trash or recycling. You can check the FDA website for more information.
Can you reuse Ozempic needles?
No, you cannot reuse Ozempic needles. You should always dispose of your needle after an injection and use a new needle for the next injection. Reusing needles can lead to contamination, infection, leakage of medicine, and blocked needles (which could lead to injecting the wrong dose). Reusing or sharing needles can cause you to get or transmit a serious infection.
When you fill your Ozempic prescription, you will receive important information, including a Medication Guide and Instructions for Use. Always dispose of your Ozempic needles as described in the Instructions for Use.
If you need more needles, always ask your healthcare provider. Do not attempt to reuse or share needles for any reason.
- Ozempic, DailyMed (2025)
- Ozempic® (semaglutide) injection is available in 3 multi-use pens for more A1C control, Novo Nordisk
- What needle do you use with your pen device?, Novo Nordisk
- Prescription laws and access to insulin resources, Children With Diabetes
- Safely using sharps (needles and syringes) at home, at work and on travel, Food and Drug Administration (2021)