Wegovy Pill

The Wegovy pill is an oral form of the weight loss injection that contains semaglutide. It works by mimicking the actions of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a natural hormone that suppresses your appetite, slows digestion, and keeps you feeling satisfied for longer.

Although weight loss injections, like Wegovy, are effective, with the highest 7.2mg dose helping people lose on average 21% of their initial body weight after 72 weeks, they are not suitable for everyone. If you have a needle phobia or find the thought of injecting yourself weekly an inconvenience, weight loss pills may be more suitable and appealing.

Here, we discuss the Wegovy pill, how it works, how it differs from injections, and when it might be available in the UK.

Similar to its injection form, the Wegovy pill contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist that suppresses appetite, increases feelings of fullness, and slows stomach emptying to help you lose weight.

The Wegovy pill is a convenient alternative because it involves swallowing a daily tablet rather than injecting yourself with the medication once a week. It is available in a maximum daily dose of 25mg, compared to the 7.2mg Wegovy injection.

The Wegovy pill contains the active ingredient semaglutide, which mimics the effects of GLP-1, a naturally occurring hormone. In doing so, the Wegovy pill helps you lose weight by:

• suppressing your appetite and reducing food cravings
• slowing gastric emptying, the time it takes for food to leave the stomach, to keep you feeling fuller for longer
• regulating blood sugar levels by increasing insulin secretion when they are raised to stop blood sugar spikes and prevent food cravings

How long does the Wegovy pill take to work?

The Wegovy pill can start to reduce your appetite within the first few days to weeks of starting treatment, but it can take several months for you to notice the full benefits.

How effective are Wegovy pills?

Clinical trials have shown that a daily 25mg Wegovy pill can result in an average 13.6% body weight reduction after 64 weeks compared to 2.2% with a placebo. The same study found that people taking Wegovy were more likely than those in the placebo group to lose 5, 10, 15, or 20% of their starting weight.

Is the Wegovy pill safe?

Although clinical trial data are promising, the Wegovy pill has not yet been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK, meaning it has not been deemed safe for use. However, the Wegovy pill has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means it is now available in the US, and there is hope that it could become available in the UK in the near future.

Wegovy pills and Wegovy injections deliver semaglutide to help you achieve significant and meaningful weight loss over time. The biggest differences are how they are administered, how often you need to take them, and how effective they are.

Can I switch from Wegovy injections to Wegovy tablets?

Yes, it may be possible to switch from Wegovy injections to Wegovy pills if Wegovy pills are approved for use in the UK.

At the moment, Wegovy pills are not available in the UK because they have not been approved by the regulatory authorities. If they become available, your doctor will advise you on which Wegovy pill dose you can switch to and whether you will need to take a break before switching.

The Wegovy pill is expected to be available in the UK towards the end of 2026. It is currently undergoing approval with the MHRA and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Once approved by these regulatory bodies, it will be available for weight loss in the UK.

The Wegovy pill is already available in the US.

How much will the Wegovy pill cost?

The cost of the Wegovy pill in the UK is not yet known and will depend on several factors, including the dose. The exact price of Wegovy pills in the UK will be clearer once they have been given regulatory approval.

Will I be able to buy the Wegovy pill online?

Yes, similar to the Wegovy injection, once the pill version is approved for use in the UK, it will be available through trusted online services like Superdrug Online Doctor.

Will I be able to buy the Wegovy pill over the counter?

No, Wegovy will be a prescription-only medication, so you will need approval from a registered health professional to get it.

Will I be able to get the Wegovy pill on the NHS?

It is not yet known if the Wegovy pill will be available on the NHS. If it is, it is likely to become available first to those who need it most and will be subject to strict eligibility criteria.

Just like the Wegovy injection, when you start weight loss treatment with the Wegovy pill, you will usually start on the lowest dose and gradually increase it until you reach the maximum dose.

The Wegovy pill dosing schedule is as follows:

• days 1 to 30 (starting dose) – 1.5mg tablet once daily
• days 31 to 60 – 4mg tablet once daily
• days 61 to 90 – 9mg tablet once daily
• days 91 onwards (maximum dose) – 25mg tablet once daily

If you get Wegovy pill side effects, your doctor may advise you to stay on a lower dose for longer to allow your body to get used to the medication.

Wegovy pill side effects are similar to Wegovy injection side effects because they contain the same active ingredient. In clinical trials, 74% of people experienced gastrointestinal side effects, compared with 42% on placebo.

The most common side effects of Wegovy are:

• feeling sick (nausea)
• being sick (vomiting)
• diarrhoea
• constipation
• stomach pain
• headache
• tiredness
• fatigue
• upset stomach
• dizziness
• bloating
• burping
• heartburn
• runny nose or sore throat

Always read the leaflet and side effect information for a full list of potential side effects before starting any new medication.

How long do Wegovy pill side effects last?

Wegovy side effects can last a few days to a few weeks and usually improve as your body gets used to the medication. They are most common when you first start Wegovy and after a dose increase.

What to do if you get Wegovy pill side effects

Most Wegovy side effects can be managed at home by:

• eating smaller, more frequent meals
• getting some rest
• taking over-the-counter painkillers for headaches or mild stomach discomfort
• eating plain, bland foods, like rice and crackers
• drinking plenty of water

If you take the Wegovy pill, you should:

• take it on an empty stomach in the morning with water only
• wait 30 minutes before eating, drinking, or taking other medications after taking the Wegovy pill
• swallow the pill whole

If you get any side effects that get worse, do not improve after a few weeks, or are stopping you from completing your daily activities, speak to your doctor for more advice, urgently if you feel very unwell, have severe stomach pain or vomiting.

There are other weight loss tablets available, but they are not GLP-1 medications. Wegovy is the first GLP-1 tablet for weight loss and others like Rybelsus are for type 2 diabetes only. Alternative weight-loss tablets available in the UK contain active ingredients that block the absorption of dietary fat, reduce appetite, or target the brain's reward centres.

Use the table to scroll and compare alternative weight loss pills already available in the UK and from Superdrug Online Doctor to the Wegovy pill: