Wegovy Tablets (Oral Semaglutide)

Are Wegovy tablets available in the UK?

The semaglutide tablet was approved by the MHRA on 11th June 2026, making it the first GLP-1 tablet for weight loss to receive authorisation in the UK. The approval followed rigorous assessment of the medication’s safety, quality and effectiveness.

The oral form of semaglutide also received FDA approval in the US in December 2025.

While the tablet is approved for use in the UK, it isn’t currently available through the NHS, so accessing it privately through a regulated online pharmacy like Click2Pharmacy is currently the only route available.

Wegovy Weight Loss Tablets

What are Wegovy tablets for?

Wegovy tablets are a weight loss treatment for adults with obesity, or adults with overweight who also have a weight-related health problem. Taken alongside a reduced-calorie meal plan and increased physical activity, they’re designed to help you lose weight and maintain that weight loss, not as a standalone treatment.

How do Wegovy tablets work?

The Wegovy pill is an oral form of semaglutide – a GLP-1 receptor agonist. GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a hormone your body naturally produces after eating. Semaglutide mimics this hormone by binding to GLP-1 receptors in the brain and other organs.

This produces several effects that support weight loss:

• It reduces appetite by acting on areas of the brain that control hunger and food intake
• It slows the rate at which the stomach empties, helping you feel full for longer after eating
• It reduces the amount of food you want to eat overall

Together, these effects lead to a reduction in calorie intake, which supports long-term weight loss when combined with a healthier diet and increased activity.

How effective are Wegovy oral pills?

Clinical trial data shows that adults taking a 25 mg Wegovy tablet daily lost around 17% of their body weight over 64 weeks, compared to 2.2% in the placebo group. Patients taking Wegovy were also significantly more likely to reach the 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% weight loss thresholds than those taking a placebo.

Weight loss will vary from person to person depending on starting weight, adherence to dosing instructions, and the lifestyle changes made during treatment. For the best outcome throughout your weight loss journey, Wegovy should always be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Who can use Wegovy tablets?

Wegovy tablets are licensed for adults with overweight or obesity who meet one of the following:

• A BMI of 30 or above (obesity)
• A BMI of 27 or above but under 30 (overweight) with a weight-related health problem, such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes

Wegovy tablets aren’t recommended for children or adolescents under 18, as safety and effectiveness in this age group haven’t been established.

Who can’t take Wegovy tablets?

Don’t take Wegovy tablets if you:

• Are allergic to semaglutide or any of the other ingredients in the tablet
• Are breastfeeding
• Are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant – talk to your doctor about stopping treatment at least 2 months before trying to conceive, as it isn’t known if semaglutide affects an unborn baby

Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Wegovy tablets if you:

• Are at risk of dehydration, particularly if you have kidney problems – nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea while on treatment can cause fluid loss, so it’s important to drink enough fluids
• Have had pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) in the past
• Have diabetes – Wegovy must not be used as a substitute for insulin
• Take a sulfonylurea or insulin alongside Wegovy, as this can increase your risk of low blood sugar
• Have diabetic eye disease (retinopathy), as fast improvements in blood sugar control can temporarily worsen this
• Have slow stomach emptying (gastroparesis)
• Take levothyroxine for thyroid disease, or warfarin or a similar blood-thinning medicine, as your doctor may need to monitor you more closely
• Are due to have surgery or a procedure under general anaesthesia or sedation

If you notice a sudden loss of vision or your eyesight rapidly worsens, contact your doctor urgently.

Do not take Wegovy tablets at the same time as any other semaglutide-containing product or any other GLP-1 receptor agonist.

Wegovy Tablet Dosing Schedule

Wegovy tablets are started at a low dose and increased gradually over 4 months to help reduce the risk of gastrointestinal side effects. The schedule is as follows:

Shipping for the 1.5mg and 4mg doses will begin on 6th July, with the higher doses expected to follow soon.

Once you reach the 25mg maintenance dose, don’t increase this further. If you don’t tolerate a dose increase, your prescriber may delay moving you up to the next dose. Never take two tablets to make up for a higher dose.

Wegovy Injections vs Wegovy Tablets

Both the Wegovy tablet and the Wegovy injection contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide and are approved for the same indications in adults. The pill version offers a daily oral option, while the weight loss injection is given once a week.

The Wegovy injection is also available in a higher-dose format – Wegovy 7.2mg – for patients who need additional weight reduction beyond the standard maintenance dose. This option is not available with the tablet.

The Wegovy pill offers a needle-free alternative to the injection, which may suit patients who prefer not to self-inject.

In terms of weight loss outcomes, the injection delivers an average body weight reduction of around 15% at the maintenance dose, compared to approximately 16.6% with the tablet over a similar timeframe. Experts generally consider this difference small and unlikely to be clinically significant for most patients. Your prescriber can help you decide which form is more appropriate for you.

Is it possible to switch from Wegovy injections to Wegovy tablets?

Switching from the Wegovy injection to the tablet is possible, but only under your prescriber’s guidance. Patients stabilised on the 2.4 mg Wegovy injection for weight reduction or cardiovascular risk reduction may switch directly to the 25 mg tablet – there is no requirement to re-escalate through the lower doses.

The recommended approach is to wait one week after your last injection before starting the 25 mg tablet once daily. Do not take both forms at the same time.

If you are considering switching, speak to your prescriber first. They will confirm if it is appropriate for you and advise on timing.

Is it possible to switch from Mounjaro to Wegovy pills?

There’s no exact dose equivalent between Mounjaro injections and Wegovy tablets, as the two medications contain different active ingredients. Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which acts on both GLP-1 and GIP receptors, whereas Wegovy tablets contain semaglutide, which acts on GLP-1 receptors only.

As with any switch between weight loss medications, speak to your prescriber before making changes. They’ll advise on the right dose and timing for your circumstances.

How to Take Wegovy Tablets

Taking the Wegovy pill correctly is important for absorption. Follow these steps each time:

1. Take the tablet first thing in the morning( after a fasting period of at least 8 hours), before eating or drinking anything else
2. Swallow the tablet whole with up to 4 ounces (approximately 120ml) of plain water only – don’t take it with any other liquid and don’t split, crush, chew or dissolve the tablet
3. Wait at least 30 minutes before eating food, drinking any other beverage or taking any other oral medicines. Waiting less than 30 minutes lowers how well the tablet is absorbed.

What happens if I miss a Wegovy pill?

If you miss a dose, skip it and take your next tablet the following morning as usual. Don’t take two doses on the same day to make up for a missed one.

Side Effects of Wegovy Tablets

Like all medicines, Wegovy tablets can cause side effects, though not everyone will experience them. Gastrointestinal side effects are the most common, particularly when starting treatment or after a dose increase, and these usually improve over time.

Very Common Side Effects

These may affect more than 1 in 10 people:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Stomach pain
• Feeling weak or tired
• Indigestion or upset stomach

Common Side Effects

These may affect up to 1 in 10 people:

• Dizziness
• Burping
• Wind (flatulence)
• Bloating
• Inflamed stomach (gastritis), with symptoms like stomach ache, nausea or vomiting
• Acid reflux or heartburn
• Gallstones
• Hair loss
• Changes in how food or drink tastes
• Changes in skin sensation
• Low blood sugar in people with diabetes
• Complications of diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy) – tell your doctor if you notice changes in your vision

Uncommon Side Effects

These may affect up to 1 in 100 people:

• Low blood pressure
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded when standing or sitting up
• Fast heartbeat
• Delayed stomach emptying
• Low blood sugar in people without diabetes
• Raised bilirubin, which can cause yellowing of the skin or eyes
• Inflamed pancreas (acute pancreatitis) – seek urgent medical help for severe, persistent stomach or back pain that doesn’t go away, with or without nausea or vomiting
• Kidney or bladder stones – signs include back or lower abdomen pain, difficulty passing urine or a change in urine colour

Rare Side Effects

These may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people:

• Hip fractures
• Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis or angioedema) – seek immediate medical help if you notice breathing problems, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, a fast heartbeat or feeling dizzy or weak

Very Rare Side Effects

These may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people:

• Sudden or gradually worsening loss of vision in one eye without pain (a condition called NAION) – contact your doctor urgently if this happens

Frequency Not Known

• Bowel obstruction, which can appear as severe constipation with stomach ache, bloating or vomiting

If you notice any side effects not listed here, tell your doctor or pharmacist. You can also report side effects directly through the Yellow Card Scheme.

Wegovy Tablet Ingredients

Active ingredient: semaglutide

Other ingredients: salcaprozate sodium (SNAC), magnesium stearate

Salcaprozate sodium (SNAC) is an absorption enhancer. It protects semaglutide from being broken down by digestive enzymes in the stomach and allows it to pass into the bloodstream, which is what makes the oral tablet formulation possible. Magnesium stearate is a lubricant used during manufacturing to stop the tablet sticking to equipment during production.

The 1.5mg, 4mg and 9mg tablets contain less than 1mmol of sodium per tablet, so they’re essentially sodium-free. The 25mg tablet contains 23mg of sodium, around 1% of the recommended maximum daily dietary intake for an adult.

The tablets are white to light yellow in colour. The 1.5mg, 4mg and 9mg strengths are round, while the 25mg maintenance tablet is oval. All strengths are marked with the dose on one side and “novo” on the other.

Important Information

• Keep Wegovy tablets out of the sight and reach of children
• Wegovy tablets don’t need any special temperature storage conditions, but should be kept in the original packaging to protect them from light and moisture
• Do not use after the expiry date shown on the packaging
• Don’t use Wegovy tablets if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding
• Don’t take Wegovy tablets at the same time as any other semaglutide-containing product or GLP-1 receptor agonist
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea while on treatment can lead to dehydration, so make sure you drink enough fluids, particularly if you have kidney problems
• Contact your doctor urgently if you notice sudden or worsening changes to your eyesight
• Wegovy tablets slow stomach emptying, which can affect how other oral medicines are absorbed, so tell your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines you’re taking, including levothyroxine and warfarin
• If you experience sudden or severe stomach pain, stop taking Wegovy and seek medical advice promptly, as this could be a sign of pancreatitis
• Tell any surgeon, anaesthetist or healthcare professional performing a procedure that you’re taking Wegovy before any planned surgery
• Wegovy tablets are unlikely to affect your ability to drive or use machines, but some people feel dizzy, particularly in the first 3 months of treatment – don’t drive or use machines if this affects you
• If you have type 2 diabetes, your blood glucose should be monitored before and during treatment, as your diabetes medicines may need adjusting