The DailyMed label for semaglutide lists what the medicine is, how its active ingredient is made, and the inactive ingredients in each formulation [1]. The label does not state a religious status of any kind [1]. Refuah publishes these facts with citations so readers and their rav can access the ingredient information without searching, and the religious ruling stays where it belongs: with the reader's own rav.
What the label says semaglutide is
Semaglutide is a human GLP-1 receptor agonist [1]. The peptide backbone is produced by yeast fermentation [1]. That is the complete description of the active ingredient on the DailyMed label.
The label does not describe what a GLP-1 receptor agonist does, how it works in the body, or what it is used to treat. Those details appear in other sections of the prescribing information. The ingredient section answers a narrower question: what is the medicine made of, and how is the active part produced?
The yeast fermentation fact matters for some religious questions because fermentation and the organism used can affect how different communities view a medicine. The label states the method plainly so readers and their rav have the fact without guessing.
The pen solution: four inactive ingredients
The pen solution formulation contains four inactive ingredients [1]. An excipient is an inactive ingredient that serves a function like preserving the medicine, adjusting its pH, or keeping it stable [1].
The four inactive ingredients in the pen solution are disodium phosphate dihydrate, propylene glycol, phenol, and water for injections [1].
Disodium phosphate dihydrate is a buffer that helps maintain the pH of the solution. Propylene glycol is a solvent and preservative. Phenol is a preservative. Water for injections is sterile water that meets pharmaceutical standards [1].
The label does not list gelatin, ethanol or alcohol in the pen solution [1]. If a reader's rav asks whether the pen contains gelatin, the answer from the label is no. If the question is ethanol or alcohol, the answer is also no.
The prefilled syringe solution: three inactive ingredients
The prefilled syringe solution formulation contains three inactive ingredients [1]. This is a shorter list than the pen because the syringe uses a different preservative system.
The three inactive ingredients in the prefilled syringe solution are disodium phosphate dihydrate, sodium chloride, and water for injection [1].
Disodium phosphate dihydrate is again the buffer. Sodium chloride is salt, which helps maintain the osmotic balance of the solution. Water for injection is sterile water [1].
The label does not list gelatin, ethanol or alcohol in the prefilled syringe solution [1]. The syringe formulation omits propylene glycol and phenol because the sealed syringe packaging provides preservation without those additives.
Why Refuah publishes ingredient facts with citations
A reader who keeps the Jewish calendar and takes semaglutide, or cares for someone who does, may need to answer a religious question about the medicine. The question might be about Passover, about a fast day, or about another observance. The reader's rav is the one to answer it.
The rav needs the ingredient facts to give a ruling. The label has those facts. Refuah publishes them here with citations so the reader does not have to dig through the full prescribing information to find them, and so the reader can bring the exact facts to the rav instead of paraphrasing.
OU Kosher's Passover medication guidelines note that known and tested medications in the form of non-chewable pills and injections may be owned, used and consumed on Passover, even if they contain chametz or kitniyot [2]. To answer whether semaglutide fits that category for a specific observance, the reader's rav will need the ingredient list and the formulation details, which this article provides.
This is the model for the per-medicine ingredient disclosure sheet Refuah plans to publish. The goal is ingredient transparency: readers get the label facts without having to search, and the religious call stays where it belongs, with the reader's own rav.
What the label does not state
The label describes ingredients and manufacturing. It does not state any halal or kosher status, and no religious status appears anywhere on the label [1].
That absence is itself a fact. It means the label does not claim the medicine is kosher, does not claim it is halal, and does not reference any certification or any community standard. The label is silent on religious status.
Some medicines carry a statement that they are kosher for Passover, or halal, or approved for other observances. The semaglutide label does not. That does not mean the medicine is or is not acceptable for any observance; it means the manufacturer has not made a religious claim on the label.
Whether semaglutide is appropriate for a specific observance is a question for the reader's rav, who will consider the ingredients, the manufacturing method, the observance in question, and the reader's own community custom and halachic authority. The rav may rule differently from another rav, and different communities may hold different positions. Refuah does not determine or assert the status of any medicine; it publishes the label facts and routes the ruling to the reader's rav.
The two formulations side by side
Here are the two semaglutide formulations the label describes, with the inactive ingredients listed for each.
| Formulation | Inactive ingredients | Religious status on label |
|---|---|---|
| Pen solution | Disodium phosphate dihydrate, propylene glycol, phenol, water for injections [1] | No religious status appears on the label [1] |
| Prefilled syringe solution | Disodium phosphate dihydrate, sodium chloride, water for injection [1] | No religious status appears on the label [1] |
The pen and syringe differ in two ways. The pen includes propylene glycol and phenol as preservatives because it is a multi-container product. The syringe omits them because the sealed single-container packaging provides preservation. The syringe includes sodium chloride for osmotic balance, which the pen does not need.
Both formulations include disodium phosphate dihydrate and water for injection. Both formulations are silent on religious status.
How to read a medicine label for ingredients
The DailyMed label for any medicine lists the active ingredient first, then the inactive ingredients. The active ingredient is what the medicine does. The inactive ingredients are what keeps the medicine stable, helps your body absorb it, or serves another pharmaceutical purpose.
When you look up a medicine on DailyMed, search for the brand name or the generic name and the manufacturer. The prescribing information opens with a description of the medicine, then moves to the ingredients section. The ingredients section lists the active ingredient with its strength, then the inactive ingredients by name.
For semaglutide, the DailyMed page lists two formulations because Ozempic comes in a pen and also in a prefilled syringe. Each formulation has its own inactive ingredient list. If you use the pen, the pen list is the one that applies to you. If you use the syringe, the syringe list applies.
The label does not list amounts of the inactive ingredients. It lists what they are. If your rav needs to know how much of an ingredient is in the medicine, that information may appear elsewhere in the prescribing information or in the package insert, or your pharmacist can answer the question.
For more on how to read a medication label, see the guide to reading a medication label.
What to do next
- Print or save the DailyMed prescribing information for semaglutide and locate the ingredients section [1].
- Identify which formulation you use: the pen solution or the prefilled syringe solution [1].
- Write down the inactive ingredients for your formulation [1].
- If you have a religious question about semaglutide and an observance, bring the ingredient list to your rav [1].
- Your rav may ask your clinician or pharmacist for additional details about manufacturing, sourcing, or processing; your pharmacist can answer those questions.
- For questions about semaglutide and Passover specifically, see is semaglutide kosher for Passover.
- For more on how medicines are labeled and what each section means, see the guide to reading a medication label.
- Browse the guides hub for other medication and fasting topics.
Sources
- DailyMed, Ozempic (semaglutide) prescribing information, active ingredient, inactive ingredients, and absence of religious status, accessed 2026-08-09, https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=adec4fd2-6858-4c99-91d4-531f5f2a2d79
- OU Kosher, Passover medicine lists and guidelines, non-chewable pills and injections on Passover, accessed 2026-08-09, https://oukosher.org/passover/medicine-guidelines/