The Wegovy Pill: What It Is, How It Works and When You Can Get It

The Wegovy Pill is the first GLP-1 tablet* approved for weight loss. This gives you the option of a once-daily tablet instead of weekly injections. Here's everything you need to know, with key information from our clinical experts.

Article Summary:

• The Wegovy Pill is a once-daily tablet form of semaglutide, the same medicine in the Wegovy injection. It helps you feel fuller and eat less, with trial results showing people lost an average of 16.6% of their body weight over 64 weeks.
• It's now approved in the UK for adults with obesity, or those who are overweight with a related health problem. For now you will only be able to get it privately, through pharmacies and regulated online clinics.
• You take it once a day on an empty stomach with a small amount of plain water, then wait 30 minutes before eating or drinking. Side effects are usually mild to moderate stomach issues that ease over time, but there are rarer serious risks, so you need a prescription and medical supervision.

What is the Wegovy (semaglutide) Pill?

The Wegovy Pill is a tablet form of semaglutide. That's the same active ingredient found in the Wegovy injection and in Ozempic. It's made by Novo Nordisk, the company behind the injectable version.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone your body naturally releases after you eat. Semaglutide mimics this hormone by acting on the GLP-1 receptor. This helps you feel full, lowers your appetite, and slows down how quickly your stomach empties. The result is that you tend to eat less and lose body weight.

*This isn't the first time semaglutide has been made available as a tablet. Rybelsus is a version of oral semaglutide that's already used for type 2 diabetes. The difference is that the new Wegovy Pill uses a higher dose, and it’s designed exclusively for weight management.

How well does it work?

The approval is based on the OASIS clinical development programme, a set of clinical trials that tested oral semaglutide in adults with obesity.

In the OASIS 4 trial†, people taking the once-daily tablet at 25 mg lost 16.6% of their starting body weight over 64 weeks (1 year, 3 months) when they stuck to the treatment and followed healthy lifestyle guidance.

Around 3 in 10 people in the trial lost 20% or more of their body weight, whereas people taking a placebo (dummy tablet) only lost 2.7% in 64 weeks.

This trial included adults who weighed around 106 kg on average, with a body mass index of about 38. Alongside weight loss, the people using oral semaglutide showed better blood sugar improvements and lower cardiovascular risk factors like cholesterol. [1]

Can you get it in the UK?

Very soon, but access will be limited. For now, access will be private, through pharmacies and regulated online clinics like MedExpress.

On 11 June 2026, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (the MHRA) approved the Wegovy Pill for weight loss and weight management. [2] This made the UK the first country in Europe to approve an oral GLP-1 receptor agonist for weight loss.

At launch, the tablet isn't available on the NHS. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, known as NICE, is still reviewing it to decide whether the NHS should fund it.

How do you take it?

It’s very important that you follow the Wegovy Pill dosing instructions carefully.

You take one tablet once daily, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, with a small sip of plain water (no more than 120ml).

You then need to wait at least 30 minutes before you eat, drink anything else, or take other medicines. That’s because food and drink can change the conditions in your stomach, lowering how much semaglutide your body absorbs, impacting the effectiveness of your treatment.

In terms of starting, you may be recommended the lowest dose of 1.5mg, taken once a day. From there, your dose can increase every 30 days depending on the rate of weight loss and how well you’re tolerating any side effects. The official schedule is:

• Days 1–30: 1.5mg once daily
• Days 31–60: 4mg once daily
• Days 61–90: 9mg once daily
• Day 91 and onward: 25mg once daily (maintenance dose)

Your clinician will review your progress at each step and confirm the right dose for you. This gradual increase helps your body adjust and reduces the chance of side effects. This process is also known as ‘titration’.

The full treatment effect is usually seen at the maintenance dose of 25mg. You may find you prefer to stay on a lower dose for longer. Finding what works for you in terms of diet, exercise and managing side effects is key to creating a sustainable, long-term weight management plan.

Pill or pen: What’s right for me?

Wegovy tablets and injections both contain semaglutide and work in the same way. Some people prefer a daily tablet that fits into their routine, whereas others would rather have the less strict schedule of a weekly injection. At a glance, this is how the two compare.

*Must be taken in the morning on an empty stomach with a small amount of plain water, and then a 30 minute wait before eating, drinking or taking other oral medicines.

You can learn more about switching from a pen to a tablet here.

Are there any side effects?

As they contain the same active ingredient (semaglutide), the Wegovy Pill has similar side effects to the pen. Most are linked to your gut (these are called gastrointestinal disorders) and tend to improve as your body adjusts to using the treatment.

• Very common side effects of oral Wegovy (semaglutide) include stomach problems like feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting), constipation and diarrhoea. You might also experience stomach pain, headaches and tiredness (fatigue). They’re more common when you first start, or increase your dose.

Note: Headaches and mild stomach problems, which are common, can usually be managed with over-the-counter remedies. To ease nausea, you can try stepping outside for fresh air, sipping cold drinks and eating smaller meals more often.

• Uncommon side effects, affecting fewer than 1 in 100 people, may include a faster heart rate, low blood sugar (also known as hypoglycaemia), kidney stones and pancreatitis. The signs of pancreatitis are intense stomach pain that can radiate to your back, often with a high temperature and nausea or vomiting.
• Rare side effects, occurring in fewer than 1 in 1,000 people, may involve a serious allergic reaction (also known as anaphylaxis) and angioedema, which is a type of swelling beneath the skin that can affect the face, lips, tongue or throat.

Keep an eye on how you feel and report any side effects that get worse or don't go away. You can report directly to MedExpress for advice, or officially report to the MHRA.

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience difficulty breathing, swelling or severe stomach pain. For rare, severe or worsening symptoms, we recommend you seek professional medical advice by calling 999.

Are there any risks to taking semaglutide?

As with many medications, there are rarer but more serious risks to know about. That’s why the Wegovy pill is a prescription-only medicine, and why you should only start it under medical supervision. Like other GLP-1s, semaglutide can cause:

• Pancreatitis, which is swelling of the pancreas. If you get severe, ongoing stomach pain, stop taking it and get urgent medical help by calling 999.
• Gallstones and other gallbladder problems, which can happen more often during fast weight loss.
• Kidney problems, often linked to dehydration from being sick or having diarrhoea.
• Low blood sugar (also called hypoglycemia), especially if you also take insulin or other diabetes medicines.
• Worsening of diabetic retinopathy, an eye condition, in some people with type 2 diabetes.
• Allergic reactions.

There's also a serious warning about the risk of thyroid C-cell tumors. In animal studies, semaglutide caused thyroid tumors, though it isn't known whether this happens in people. Because of this, it isn't suitable if you or your family have a history of certain thyroid cancers.

Remember: You should always tell your prescriber your full medical history and be honest about the information you provide.

How does it compare to other options?

The Wegovy Pill joins a growing group of weight loss drugs. Until now, the most effective options in the UK are injections. These include Wegovy and Mounjaro, made by Eli Lilly. Other weight loss medications like Orlistat, sold as Xenical, work in a completely different way. They reduce how much fat you take in from food, and are often less effective than GLP-1s.

If you struggle with needles or find injections hard, a once-daily pill gives you another route to a similar result. Keep in mind, though, that you have to take it on an empty stomach every morning, compared to a once-weekly jab. Finding the easiest option for you depends on your unique preferences and lifestyle.

At MedExpress, we offer online consultations with regular clinical check-ins, and a range of weight loss treatments including Mounjaro, injectable Wegovy and the Wegovy Pill (coming soon, join our waitlist) and our team can help you find the right treatment for you.

References

1. Wharton S, Ildiko Lingvay, Bogdanski P, Duque R, Jacob S, Karlsson T, et al. Oral Semaglutide at a Dose of 25 mg in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. 2025 Sep 17;393(11):1077–87.
2. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. First GLP-1 tablet for weight loss approved in the UK [Internet]. London: GOV.UK; 2026 Jun 11 [cited 2026 Jun 15]. Available from: GOV.UK

†OASIS 4, 64-week study of adults with obesity using oral semaglutide 25mg alongside lifestyle changes. Individual results vary.