Weight-loss drug Wegovy to be available in pill form in UK for first time

Weight-loss drug Wegovy to be available in pill form in UK for first timeImage source, Getty ImagesByMichelle RobertsDigital health editorPublished11 June 2026A pill version of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy has been approved in the UK, meaning people will soon be able to buy it with a prescription. It is the first tablet of its kind to get cleared by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, external (MHRA).Manufacturer Novo Nordisk says the once-a-day tablet could be more convenient for some people than injecting themselves weekly with GLP-1 medication that blunts appetite. And, unlike the jab, the pills do not need to be kept in the fridge.However, it will not be available on the NHS until experts can assess and decide, external whether that should be recommended. The body that would make that decision - the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence - said Novo Nordisk had not yet approached it about the issue, but that it was "in active dialogue" with the company.Some high street and online pharmacies plan to add it to their doctor prescribing services in the coming weeks.The MHRA says the starting dose for the tablet is 1.5mg once daily, escalating to 4mg, 9mg and 25mg with a minimum duration of one month at each dose level.Patients currently being treated privately with a 2.4mg semaglutide injection once weekly can be transitioned straight to semaglutide 25mg tablets once daily.The tablets, which should be taken on an empty stomach, are already available in the US. Other drug companies already have or are working on rivals.The cost of Wegovy pills in the UK is not yet clear, but when they launched in the US the manufacturer listed the starting dose of 1.5mg at $149 (around £110) a month.Similar to its injection form, the tablets contain semaglutide that works by mimicking the actions of a natural hormone called GLP-1 that suppresses appetite and slows digestion to keep you feeling fuller and less hungry. Olivier Picard...