Wegovy weight loss pill now available in UK - here's what you need to know
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- Wegovy oral tablet (semaglutide) is now available privately from UK High Street and online pharmacies; it is the first GLP-1 pill of its kind cleared by the MHRA earlier this month.
- Novo Nordisk is pricing the lowest 1.5mg dose at £99/month and the maximum 25mg dose at £199/month for a 30-day supply — comparable to current injection prices, with hopes the pill may prove cheaper long-term.
- Trial data showed patients taking Wegovy tablets lost an average of 13.61% of body weight over 64 weeks versus 2.18% on placebo, when combined with reduced-calorie diet and exercise.
- Eligibility mirrors the injection: BMI of 30+, or 27–30 with a weight-related condition such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, and a pharmacy consultation is required.
- NHS access remains undecided — NICE must complete a cost-effectiveness review that Adam Burt of Novo Nordisk said typically takes 9 to 12 months.
- Professor Susan Jebb of Oxford told the BBC the drugs have potential for long-term use similar to blood pressure medication, but said she is 'apprehensive about relying on them for solving the obesity issue.'
Why it matters: Millions of UK adults who fear weekly self-injection now have a needle-free, daily pill option at roughly £100–200 a month — but until NICE signs off (a 9–12 month process), only private buyers gain access, meaning NHS patients with the highest medical need are still locked out while paying customers without obesity-related comorbidities jump the queue.
