UK regulator clears Novo Nordisk's Wegovy tablet for weight loss

The UK medicines regulator authorised a daily semaglutide tablet for weight loss on June 11, 2026, the first GLP-1 receptor agonist pill approved for that purpose in the country ^[1][2]. The tablet, made by Novo Nordisk and sold as Wegovy, is cleared for adults with obesity and is not yet available through the National Health Service ^[1][2].

Who qualifies

Under the authorisation, doctors in the UK may prescribe the pill to adults with a body mass index of 30 or above, or to adults with a BMI between 27 and 30 who also have at least one weight-related health condition. It is intended for use with a lower-calorie diet and more physical activity ^[1].

Dosing rises in steps: 1.5 mg once a day at the start, then 4 mg, 9 mg and 25 mg, with at least one month at each level ^[1]. People already paying privately for the 2.4 mg weekly semaglutide injection can move straight to the 25 mg tablet taken once daily, the regulator said ^[1].

How the pill is taken

Absorption depends on routine. The tablet must be swallowed whole on an empty stomach, after fasting for at least eight hours, with a sip of water. Nothing should be eaten or drunk for at least 30 minutes afterward; doing so sooner reduces how much of the drug the body absorbs ^[1].

Semaglutide copies a hormone the gut releases after eating and acts on appetite centers in the brain. The MHRA says that helps people feel full longer and reduces hunger and food cravings, so they eat less ^[1].

Julian Beach, executive director of healthcare quality and access at the MHRA, said the tablet met the agency's standards for safety, quality and effectiveness. "As with all GLP-1 receptor agonists, this is a prescription-only medication," he said ^[1].

The most commonly reported side effects are gastrointestinal: nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting ^[1]. The MHRA said it keeps the medicine's safety and effectiveness under close review and asked anyone who suspects a side effect to report it through its Yellow Card scheme ^[1].

The BMJ reported that semaglutide had until now been authorised in the UK for weight loss only as an injection, and that the oral form has been available there for type 2 diabetes under the brand name Rybelsus ^[2]. The approval "opens the door to more UK patients taking the oral version," the journal wrote, adding that a further step is needed before wider access ^[2].

Why it matters for patients

This is a decision by a UK regulator, and it does not change what is available in the United States. No US approval of an oral semaglutide product for weight loss has been reported, and whether Novo Nordisk plans to seek one has not been disclosed. In the UK, semaglutide has been sold for weight loss as a weekly injection; the tablet is the new form ^[1][2].

For anyone weighing a daily pill against a weekly shot, the difference includes routine. The injection is given once a week; the tablet is taken every morning after an overnight fast, followed by a 30-minute wait before food or drink ^[1]. That pause is part of the label, not a suggestion, because skipping it lowers absorption ^[1].

In the UK, the approval covers prescribing, not payment. The MHRA said the tablet is not currently available on the NHS, and that decisions on NHS use follow established processes, including an evaluation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ^[1]. Cost, insurance coverage and availability in other countries were not addressed in the announcement ^[1].

What happens next

The MHRA said the Summary of Product Characteristics and the Patient Information Leaflet would be posted on the MHRA Products website within seven days of the approval ^[1]. The NICE evaluation is the next step toward NHS coverage, and no date for it was given ^[1].