Weight loss medication from your GP: what is and is not possible

Which medicines can your GP prescribe?

In the Netherlands, several medicines are registered as an aid to weight loss: orlistat, naltrexone/bupropion (Mysimba) and the GLP-1 medicines liraglutide (Saxenda), semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro). According to the CBG, the body that assesses medicines in the Netherlands (the Medicines Evaluation Board), GLP-1 medicines work by making you feel full sooner and less hungry.

There is a lot of confusion about that last one. Ozempic is officially a medicine for type 2 diabetes, with the same active substance as Wegovy but a different registration. If you ask your GP for Ozempic purely to lose weight, the answer is therefore almost always no. You can read how this works further on.

All these medicines are only available on prescription, as pills or injections. A doctor first assesses whether the medicine suits you and is safe, for example in combination with other medicines.

The conditions: BMI, lifestyle programme and the NHG guideline

For weight loss medication, your GP follows the NHG guideline on obesity, which sets three clear conditions. According to this guideline, you are only eligible if you meet all three:

1. A BMI above 35 with a weight-related condition, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea.
2. At least a year of motivated participation in a GLI, a combined lifestyle intervention (gecombineerde leefstijlinterventie) with support for diet, exercise and behaviour.
3. Less than 10% weight loss with that programme, while you are willing to continue with it.

Curious where you stand? Then use our tool to calculate your BMI.

The GLI is a two-year programme that basic health insurance (basisverzekering) covers in full. It is a valuable programme, but it also means that anyone who goes to their GP for medication today must first complete a year of lifestyle support in the reimbursed route. For many people who have been trying everything for years, that feels like starting over.

If you do meet all the conditions, the GP route usually looks like this:

1. Intake and examination: the GP measures your BMI, looks at your health and discusses what you have already tried.
2. A year of GLI: you follow the lifestyle programme and work on diet, exercise and behaviour.
3. Evaluation: if the result after that year is insufficient, you discuss together whether medication makes sense.
4. Prescription and pharmacy: if you meet all the criteria, you get a prescription for Saxenda or Mysimba.
5. Check-up: after about 3 months, the doctor assesses the effect. With Saxenda, you must then have lost at least 5% to continue.

So expect a process of more than a year before the first pill or injection comes into view. That is a deliberate set-up, because lifestyle remains the foundation. But it does require patience and staying power.

What is covered and what do you pay yourself?

In 2026, basic health insurance covers only two weight loss medicines, and only under strict conditions: Saxenda and Mysimba. You pay for Wegovy and Mounjaro in full yourself, even with a prescription from your GP. According to Zorginstituut Nederland (the Dutch National Health Care Institute), these rules apply:

So the reimbursed route is narrow. If you do not meet the criteria, or you want a medicine that is not covered, you pay for the medication and supervision yourself. You can read exactly how the reimbursement rules work, including per insurer, in our article on weight loss medication covered by insurance.

What can your GP not do (and why)?

For many people, the GP is not the place where a weight loss programme really gets off the ground. That is not unwillingness, but the result of guidelines, reimbursement rules and simply time. In concrete terms, it means this:

• No Ozempic for weight loss. The medicine is registered for type 2 diabetes. Outside that indication, GPs do not prescribe it in principle, partly to prevent shortages for diabetes patients.
• No medication without a GLI year. The guideline and the reimbursement rules first require a year of lifestyle programme, even if you already have years of dieting behind you.
• No prescription below the BMI threshold. If your BMI is below the thresholds in the guideline, medication through your GP is almost always ruled out.
• No intensive support. A consultation lasts ten minutes on average and a follow-up appointment is often only after about three months. In practice, there is no room for weekly or monthly follow-up.
• Not every practice offers it. Because prescribing is an "additional service", your GP may also deliberately choose not to.

Does this sound familiar? Then it is not down to you. The system is set up strictly, and that sometimes clashes with the situation of people who have struggled to lose weight for years.

Hitting a wall with your GP? At Qlinic, your own BIG-registered doctor (the BIG register is the Dutch register of healthcare professionals) personally assesses whether medical weight loss is right for you, without a mandatory GLI year beforehand. Take the eligibility check →

Not losing weight through your GP: your options

If you are not eligible for medication through your GP, you have roughly three routes. Which one suits you depends on your BMI, your health and what you want yourself.

Option 1: follow the reimbursed route after all. Start with a GLI and after a year, discuss with your GP whether medication is an option. Financially the most favourable route, but also the slowest. It then helps to first understand why you are not losing weight; hormones and hunger often play a bigger role than willpower.

Option 2: referral to a specialist. With a high BMI and health problems, your GP can refer you to an internist or obesity centre, where gastric reduction surgery is also among the options.

Option 3: medical weight loss through an online clinic. There too, you only get medication on prescription, after a medical assessment by a doctor. The difference lies in access and support:

This is how it works with us, in three steps: first a consultation and intake with our doctor, then your prescription with home delivery, and then losing weight with a follow-up conversation every 4 weeks. You usually notice the first effect after about 4 weeks. The programme mainly takes away your feeling of hunger, which suddenly makes eating more healthily sustainable.

At Qlinic we have now helped around 50 people in this way, with a 5.0 rating on Google from more than 20 reviews. With us you always have the same BIG-registered doctor, who speaks with you personally every 4 weeks, including about any side effects. And you know exactly where you stand in advance: see the cost of medical weight loss.

Side effects and safe use

Weight loss medication is not something to take lightly, whichever route you start with. The most common side effects of GLP-1 medicines are nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhoea. These complaints are usually mild and temporary, especially in the first weeks while the dose is being built up. Serious side effects are rare, but that is exactly why supervision by a doctor is so important. You can find a complete overview in our article on GLP-1 side effects.

In practice, safe use comes down to three things. Start with the lowest dose and build up gradually according to your doctor's schedule. Never adjust your dose yourself if the result is disappointing or complaints increase. And speak up in good time if side effects persist: a doctor can adjust the dose or pause the treatment temporarily.

One thing is non-negotiable: never buy weight loss medication without a prescription. Counterfeit injection pens are circulating online; the EMA warns, the European medicines authority, about fake Ozempic with unknown contents. Only buy medicines from legal pharmacies, with a doctor's prescription. That is exactly how it works with us: first an assessment and prescription by our doctor, then delivery via a registered Dutch pharmacy.

Ready to lose weight with real medical support? Our BIG-registered doctor personally assesses your application and then supports you every 4 weeks, with discreet home delivery. Take the eligibility check →

Frequently asked questions about weight loss medication from your GP

Can my GP prescribe something for weight loss?

Yes, but only in specific situations. The NHG guideline only recommends weight loss medication for a BMI above 35 with a weight-related condition, and after at least a year of lifestyle programme (GLI). In addition, each GP practice decides for itself whether to prescribe this medication, because it falls outside the GP's basic services.

What can your GP do to help you lose weight?

Your GP examines whether there is a medical cause for your weight, draws up a treatment plan and refers you to a dietitian or a combined lifestyle intervention (GLI). In specific cases, the GP also prescribes medication, or refers you to an internist or obesity centre.

Which weight loss medication is covered by insurance?

In 2026, basic health insurance only covers Saxenda (liraglutide) and Mysimba (naltrexone/bupropion), under strict conditions such as a completed GLI year and a high BMI. Wegovy and Mounjaro are not covered; you pay for them in full yourself, even if you have a prescription.

Can I get Ozempic through my GP?

For weight loss, in principle, no. Ozempic is registered as a medicine for type 2 diabetes, not for weight loss. GPs therefore almost never prescribe it as weight loss medication. If you want to lose weight with semaglutide or another GLP-1 medicine, a doctor first assesses whether that is medically right for you.

Can I get weight loss medication without my GP?

Yes, that is possible through an online clinic with BIG-registered doctors, such as Qlinic. There too, a medical assessment comes first, and only then a prescription. Buying weight loss medication without a prescription is illegal and dangerous; medicines authorities warn about counterfeit products outside legal pharmacies.