Mexico approves the Wegovy oral tablet, the first Latin American market to clear it

Novo Nordisk announced that Mexico's health regulator, Cofepris, approved the Wegovy oral tablet for weight management, making Mexico the first country in Latin America to authorize the 25 mg once-daily semaglutide pill ^[1]. The approval follows a string of clearances that began in the United States in December 2025 and continued through the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the European Union ^[1].

The Mexican approval covers adults with obesity or with overweight plus at least one weight-related condition, and it also includes an indication to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events in people who already have established cardiovascular disease ^[1]. The company said the pill is prescription-only and must be taken once a day on an empty stomach ^[1]. Novo Nordisk has said the tablet is expected to reach Mexican pharmacies "during the next quarters," but it has not announced a specific launch date, price, or distribution plan ^[1].

Coverage cited by the report points to the OASIS-4 clinical trial, which showed large average weight losses among adults treated with the oral tablet, supporting its use as a non-injectable alternative to the weekly semaglutide injection many patients already know ^[1]. Mike Vivas, medical director of Novo Nordisk Mexico, called the approval "a significant step forward in how we treat obesity" and said it "opens the door to comprehensive, long-term care for a condition that affects three out of every four Mexican adults" ^[1]. He added that for millions of people in Mexico living with obesity, the approval "means a real option" ^[1]. Vivas also said the oral formulation "offers the same reliable science of the injectable version that people know, now in a once-daily tablet that fits practically and simply into every morning's routine" ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

For patients in Mexico, the approval means a pill form of semaglutide is now authorized as an alternative to the weekly injection, which could appeal to people who prefer not to use needles or who want a daily routine instead of a weekly one ^[1]. But because no launch date or price has been disclosed, it is not yet known when the tablet will actually be available in pharmacies or what it will cost patients ^[1]. That uncertainty matters because public-health authorities and World Health Organization guidance stress that GLP-1 drugs need to be used within comprehensive care, given unresolved questions about long-term safety, cost, and equitable access ^[1]. Regulators and clinicians are also watching for pricing, insurance coverage, and the risk of counterfeit products entering the market once demand grows, concerns that could affect millions of Mexicans who might seek the drug ^[1].

For US readers, the Mexico approval is another data point in the broader rollout of oral semaglutide following its US clearance in December 2025 ^[1]. It does not change availability, price, or insurance coverage for Wegovy tablets in the United States, but it shows the pace at which Novo Nordisk is expanding access to the oral formulation across different regulatory systems ^[1].

What happens next

Novo Nordisk has said only that the tablet is expected in Mexican pharmacies "during the next quarters," without a firm date ^[1]. No details have been released yet on Mexican pricing, distribution, or insurance coverage, so patients and clinicians in Mexico will need to wait for further announcements from the company or Cofepris ^[1]. It is not yet known whether other Latin American regulators will follow with their own approvals or on what timeline ^[1].