Introduction
A landmark moment for obesity treatment and weight management in the United Kingdom arrived on the 11th June 2026, when the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted approval to the first GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet for weight loss and weight management.
Known as the Wegovy pill, this oral form of semaglutide offers an important new weight management option for eligible patients without the need for injections.
What Has Been Approved?
The MHRA has approved the semaglutide tablet, which comes under the brand name Wegovy, for prescription in the United Kingdom following a rigorous assessment of its safety, quality, and effectiveness. The authorisation was granted to the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, who owns the brand Wegovy, and applies to adults in the UK living with obesity or who are overweight with related health conditions.
Specifically, the tablet may be prescribed to adults who have:
- A Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or above
- A BMI of 27 or above with a weight-related health condition
You should not use Wegovy if you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breastfeeding.
How Does the Wegovy Tablet Work?
Like the Wegovy injection, the tablet contains a medication called semaglutide which is a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It works by mimicking the action of a hormone naturally produced by your body called GLP-1 that’s released by the gut after eating. By acting on this same receptor, semaglutide can help patients feel fuller for longer, reduce hunger, and decrease food cravings.
In similar fashion to the Wegovy injection, the tablet is started at a low dose and increased gradually over time so that your body can adjust and reduce the risk of side effects.
How to Take the Wegovy Tablet
- Take the Wegovy tablet first thing in the morning on an empty stomach
- Swallow the tablet whole with up to 100mls of water (drinking more than this amount can reduce the effectiveness of absorption)
- Wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking, or taking any other medication
How Effective Is It?
There has been encouraging evidence from clinical trials in regard to the efficacy of the Wegovy tablet. In the OASIS 4 Clinical Trial, oral semaglutide was shown to help support weight loss in adults with obesity. Participants experienced an average weight loss of around 17% over the study period, with approximately 1 in 4 people losing 20% or more of their starting body weight.
This compares favourably with the injectable semaglutide, which has been associated with approximately 15% average weight loss in comparable studies.
Safety and Side Effects
The safety profile is very similar to the injectable semaglutide. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal in nature, including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, and vomiting. These are generally dose-dependent and tend to ease as the body adjusts to the treatment over time.
As with all prescription medications, patients should have a comprehensive discussion with their clinician or prescriber about how the Wegovy tablet may interact with any other medications they’re taking.
The MHRA will continue to monitor the safety and effectiveness of semaglutide tablets. If you experience any unexpected side effects, you should report these via the MRHA Yellow Card scheme.
In Conclusion
The oral form of Wegovy represents a potential alternative to weekly injections which has now been approved for use in the UK by the MHRA.
Although the Wegovy tablet is now approved, it is not yet available on the NHS until it has been through a separate evaluation process. This means that patients wishing to access the tablet will need to do so privately through a registered prescriber.
You can get in contact with a UK-registered prescriber or clinician with us at e-Surgery here, or view other available weight-loss managements here.
Please note that this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice. Always speak to a doctor or clinician before starting or changing medication and treatments.
Sources:
- Wharton S, Lingvay I, Bogdanski P, et al. Oral semaglutide 25 mg in adults with overweight or obesity. N Engl J Med. 2025;393:1077-1087. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2500969. Available from: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2500969
- Early Responders to Oral Semaglutide 25 mg: A Post Hoc Analysis of the OASIS 4 Trial. Available from: https://sciencehub.novonordisk.com/congresses/eco2026/garvey.html
