UK approves Wegovy tablet, the country's first oral GLP-1 for weight loss

The UK medicines regulator approved an oral form of semaglutide, sold as Wegovy, for weight loss and weight management in adults on 11 June 2026 — the first oral GLP-1 for that purpose available in the UK ^[1][2]. The authorisation was granted to Novo Nordisk ^[1].

The tablet may be prescribed alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to adults with a body mass index of 30 or above, or to adults who are overweight with a BMI between 27 and 30 and at least one weight-related condition ^[1][2]. It is prescription-only ^[1].

The approved dosing schedule

Treatment starts at 1.5 mg once daily and increases to 4 mg, 9 mg and 25 mg, with a minimum of one month at each dose level ^[1][2]. Patients already treated privately with a 2.4 mg weekly semaglutide injection can move directly to the 25 mg tablet once daily ^[1][2].

The MHRA says the tablet must be swallowed whole on an empty stomach, after fasting for at least eight hours, with a sip of water. No food or drink for at least 30 minutes afterward; eating or drinking sooner lowers how much of the drug is absorbed ^[1][2].

"Having met the MHRA's rigorous standards of safety, quality and effectiveness, the semaglutide tablet has been approved in the UK for weight loss and weight management," said Julian Beach, executive director of healthcare quality and access at the MHRA ^[1].

The most common side effects reported are gastrointestinal, including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting ^[1][2]. The MHRA said it keeps semaglutide's safety and effectiveness under close review and directs anyone who suspects a side effect to the Yellow Card reporting scheme ^[1].

Sebnem Avsar Tuna, general manager at Novo Nordisk UK, called the approval "an important milestone for obesity care in the UK" and said it gives people living with obesity "the choice and flexibility of oral treatment" for long-term weight management ^[2].

Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said the approval is "particularly significant for patients who cannot or do not want to take an injectable medicine," and may bring down treatment costs over the long run. He also warned about a growing black market for counterfeit weight-loss medicines, noting that a tablet form may be easier for criminals to fake, and said patients should only obtain the medicine properly prescribed and dispensed by a regulated pharmacy ^[2].

Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, said patients do best when medication comes with ongoing clinical support, lifestyle advice and regular monitoring ^[2]. Kieran Seyan, chief medical officer at Pharmacy2U, cited an NHS estimate that about one in ten people have needle phobia, and said a wider range of formulations may help clinicians support patients for whom injections are a barrier to staying on treatment ^[2].

Why it matters for patients

This is a UK decision. It does not change what is available in the United States; a US approval of an oral semaglutide product for weight management has not been announced. The medicine reported here is semaglutide, the same molecule as Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus — not tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) or orforglipron (Foundayo).

The approval adds a daily pill to the injectable options already used for weight management in the UK, which matters most for people who cannot or prefer not to inject ^[2]. The MHRA noted the tablet is not currently available through the NHS, so private prescribing is the route described so far ^[1]. England's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence would need to evaluate it before NHS use, through the established process for new treatments ^[1].

Practical points that carry over regardless of country: the tablet has to be taken on an empty stomach after an overnight fast, and food or drink within 30 minutes reduces absorption, so timing takes planning ^[1][2]. Gastrointestinal side effects were the most commonly reported ^[1][2]. Clinicians quoted in the announcement stressed that these medicines are prescription-only, that they may not suit everyone, and that assessment by a qualified clinician plus follow-up matter ^[1][2].

What happens next

The Summary of Product Characteristics and Patient Information leaflet for the tablet are to be published on the MHRA products website within seven days of the 11 June 2026 approval ^[1]. No date has been given for a NICE evaluation or for NHS availability, and no price or launch date for the UK has been disclosed ^[1][2]. Superdrug Online Doctor opened an information register on 5 June 2026 for people wanting updates on a future oral weight management service ^[2].