What Are Wegovy Tablets? The UK Guide to Oral Semaglutide
The first daily GLP-1 weight management tablet licensed in the UK — how oral semaglutide works, how to take it, what the trials showed, and who it may suit.
Part of the Overweight and Obesity Guide.
When to get urgent help: If you take Wegovy tablets, call 999 or go to A&E for signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing. Get medical help straight away for severe stomach pain that does not go away and may spread to your back (possible pancreatitis), or for sudden loss of vision or sudden blurring in one or both eyes (go to eye casualty or A&E).
Key fact: On 11 June 2026 the MHRA approved Wegovy tablets (oral semaglutide), the first GLP-1 tablet licensed for weight management in the UK. (Rybelsus, an oral semaglutide tablet available since 2020, is licensed only for type 2 diabetes.) They launched in UK pharmacies on 6 July 2026 and are available on private prescription, started at 1.5mg once a day and increased monthly towards 25mg.
Wegovy Tablets at Access Doctor
Prescribed only after an online consultation with our GPhC-registered pharmacist independent prescribers, who confirm your weight and check the treatment is suitable for you.
Start a consultation →Until recently, the GLP-1 weight management medicines were all injections: Mounjaro, Wegovy and Saxenda, and for some people that has been a reason not to start treatment. Wegovy tablets contain the same active ingredient as the Wegovy injection, semaglutide, in a once-daily tablet.
This guide explains what the tablets are, how they compare with the medicines you may already know, and the practical rules that make the difference between the pill working well and barely working at all. For the wider treatment landscape, see our UK guide to prescription weight loss medication.
What are Wegovy tablets?
Wegovy tablets contain semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist made by Novo Nordisk, taken as one tablet each day. They come in four strengths (1.5mg, 4mg, 9mg and 25mg), and 25mg is the maintenance dose. They are licensed for chronic weight management in adults, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity — the same licence framework as the weekly Wegovy injection.
The MHRA approved the tablets on 11 June 2026, making them the first oral GLP-1 medicine licensed for weight management in the UK. They launched in UK pharmacies on 6 July 2026, initially at the 1.5mg and 4mg strengths, on private prescription. They are not routinely available on the NHS, which depends on a NICE recommendation.
25mg
Full daily maintenance dose
1st
Oral GLP-1 licensed for weight loss in the UK
1.5mg
Starting dose, increased no sooner than monthly
Not the same as Rybelsus. Rybelsus is also oral semaglutide, but at lower doses (up to 14mg) and licensed only for type 2 diabetes. Wegovy tablets go up to 25mg and are licensed specifically for weight management. The two are not interchangeable.
How oral semaglutide works
Semaglutide mimics GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), a hormone your gut releases after eating. By activating GLP-1 receptors it acts on areas of the brain involved in appetite and fullness, and slows how quickly the stomach empties. It is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, not instead of them.
The challenge with the tablet is getting a fragile peptide through the stomach intact. Each tablet pairs semaglutide with an absorption enhancer called SNAC (salcaprozate sodium), which locally raises the pH around the tablet and helps semaglutide cross the stomach lining before digestive enzymes break it down. This is also why the fasting rules below matter so much — food or drink in the stomach reduces absorption.
How to take Wegovy tablets
The tablet only works properly if it is taken correctly. The routine is strict but simple once it becomes habit:
1
Take it on an empty stomach
After not eating or drinking for at least 8 hours, so first thing when you wake is easiest — before breakfast, coffee, or any other medicines.
2
Swallow whole with a little water
Do not split, crush or chew the tablet. Use a sip of water (up to half a glass, 120ml) — more than that can reduce absorption.
3
Wait at least 30 minutes
No food, no drink other than that water, and no other oral medicines for at least half an hour after taking it. If you miss a dose, skip it and take the next one the following day.
4
Repeat at the same time each day
A consistent daily routine keeps semaglutide levels steady and makes the fasting window easy to plan around.
The dose schedule
Like the injectable GLP-1 medicines, Wegovy tablets are started low and stepped up gradually to give your digestive system time to adjust. You spend at least a month on each step before moving up:
| Step | Daily dose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.5mg once daily | At least 1 month |
| 2 | 4mg once daily | At least 1 month |
| 3 | 9mg once daily | At least 1 month |
| 4 | 25mg once daily | Ongoing maintenance dose |
Your prescriber can hold any step for longer if side effects need more time to settle — one month is a minimum, not a deadline. If you would prefer a smaller first supply, the Wegovy tablets 10-day pack contains 10 tablets of the 1.5mg starting dose.
What results to expect
The OASIS 4 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2025, followed adults with obesity (or overweight plus a weight-related condition) for 64 weeks on oral semaglutide 25mg or placebo, alongside diet and activity support. Results vary between individuals, and these are averages from a trial, not a guarantee.
- About 3 in 10 people on the tablet lost 20% or more of their body weight (29.7% across everyone; 34.4% in those who kept taking it), compared with around 3% on placebo
- About 7 in 100 people on the tablet stopped because of side effects, compared with about 6 in 100 on placebo
- Weight is commonly regained if treatment stops without lasting changes to eating and activity
For context, separate trials of the Wegovy injection (STEP 1) and Mounjaro (SURMOUNT-1) reported average weight loss of 14.9% and up to 20.9% respectively. Different trials can't be compared directly. See our head-to-head comparisons: Wegovy tablets vs Wegovy injection and Wegovy tablets vs Mounjaro.
Side effects and safety
Because the active ingredient is the same, the side effect profile closely mirrors the Wegovy injection. The most common effects are digestive and cluster around dose increases:
- Very common (more than 1 in 10): nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, indigestion, stomach pain, headache and tiredness — usually mild to moderate and improving as your body adjusts
- Common (up to 1 in 10): dizziness, changes in taste, reflux, burping, wind, bloating, gallstones and hair loss
- Uncommon, rare or very rare but important: pancreatitis and a faster heart rate (uncommon); severe allergic reaction and worsening kidney function from dehydration (rare); sudden loss of vision, NAION (very rare). Low blood sugar is common in people with type 2 diabetes.
Eating smaller meals, stopping when you feel full, avoiding very fatty food and staying hydrated all help while the dose is being increased. Dehydration from vomiting or diarrhoea can affect the kidneys, so keep fluids up.
Seek urgent medical attention if you develop severe abdominal pain that does not settle (possible pancreatitis), signs of an allergic reaction (swelling of the face or throat, difficulty breathing), sudden loss of vision, or persistent vomiting with inability to keep fluids down. Call 999 in an emergency.
GLP-1 medicines are not suitable for everyone. Wegovy tablets must not be taken if you are allergic to semaglutide or any of the ingredients, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding; the MHRA advises stopping semaglutide at least 2 months before trying to conceive. Tell your prescriber if you have had pancreatitis, have serious stomach or bowel problems, have type 2 diabetes, or have had thyroid cancer or a family history of medullary thyroid cancer. Your prescriber will also review the other medicines you take, including levothyroxine and warfarin.
Who can take Wegovy tablets?
The UK licence covers adults with:
- A BMI of 30 or above (obesity), or
- A BMI of 27 or above with at least one weight-related condition — such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or obstructive sleep apnoea
- Aged 18 or over
- Commitment to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity alongside treatment
Not sure of your BMI? Use our BMI calculator. As with all prescription weight loss medicines, a clinical assessment comes first — including an independent check of your weight, your medical conditions, medicines and suitability. Our guide to healthy weight management for busy adults covers the lifestyle side that makes treatment results stick.
Tablet or injection?
Trial results are in a similar range, so the choice usually comes down to routine and preference. The tablet may suit people who would rather not inject or prefer a daily habit; the injection may suit people who would rather think about treatment once a week than manage a daily fasting window. Your prescriber can talk through both. There is no wrong answer — the best medicine is the one you will actually take consistently. Cost differs too: see what Wegovy tablets cost in the UK.
We compare the two properly — results, side effects, practicalities and cost — in Wegovy tablets vs Wegovy injection.
UK safety and prescribing information
- Legal status: Wegovy tablets are a prescription-only medicine (POM). At Access Doctor they are prescribed only after an online consultation with a GPhC-registered pharmacist independent prescriber, who confirms your weight and reviews your medical history and medicines.
- Licence: licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above with a weight-related condition, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity. We prescribe only within the licence.
- Pregnancy and contraception: do not take Wegovy tablets if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Use contraception if you could become pregnant, and stop at least 2 months before trying to conceive, as the MHRA advises for semaglutide.
- Operations: tell your healthcare team, including the anaesthetist, before any procedure under general anaesthetic or deep sedation. Do not stop treatment without advice.
- Other medicines: tell your prescriber about everything you take, especially insulin or sulfonylureas (risk of low blood sugar), levothyroxine and warfarin.
- Reporting side effects: you can report suspected side effects to the MHRA through the Yellow Card scheme website or the Yellow Card app.
Considering Wegovy Tablets?
Complete a short online consultation and our GPhC-registered pharmacist independent prescribers will confirm your weight and assess whether Wegovy tablets are suitable for you. Completing a consultation does not guarantee a prescription.
Start a consultation →Frequently Asked Questions
Are Wegovy tablets available in the UK?
Yes. The MHRA approved Wegovy tablets (oral semaglutide) on 11 June 2026 and they launched in UK pharmacies on 6 July 2026, initially at the 1.5mg and 4mg strengths. They are available on private prescription after a consultation, and are not routinely available on the NHS.
How much weight can you lose on Wegovy tablets?
In the 64-week OASIS 4 trial, adults taking oral semaglutide 25mg alongside diet and activity support lost an average of 13.6% of their body weight, or 16.6% among those who kept taking it as intended, compared with around 2% on placebo. Results vary between individuals.
Are Wegovy tablets the same as Rybelsus?
No. Both contain oral semaglutide, but Rybelsus is licensed only for type 2 diabetes at doses up to 14mg, while Wegovy tablets go up to 25mg and are licensed specifically for weight management. They are not interchangeable and Rybelsus should not be used for weight loss.
How do you take Wegovy tablets?
One tablet is taken once a day on an empty stomach, after at least 8 hours without food, ideally when you wake. Swallow it whole with a sip of water (up to half a glass, 120ml), then wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking anything else, or taking other oral medicines. Following these rules matters — food and drink significantly reduce how much semaglutide is absorbed. Treatment starts at 1.5mg, available as a 30-tablet month or a 10-day pack.
Do Wegovy tablets work as well as the injection?
Trial results are in a similar range. The Wegovy injection produced 14.9% average weight loss over 68 weeks in the STEP 1 trial, while the tablet produced 13.6% over 64 weeks in OASIS 4, or 16.6% in those who kept taking it. These were separate trials, so they can’t be compared directly. The main practical difference is the daily routine and fasting rules.
Who can be prescribed Wegovy tablets?
Wegovy tablets are licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 or above with at least one weight-related health condition such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. A prescriber must assess your suitability, including an independent check of your weight, before treatment.
Access Doctor supplies UK-licensed weight management treatment following an online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered pharmacist independent prescriber, dispensed from our UK pharmacy.
Weight Loss · Rx
Wegovy Tablets (Oral Semaglutide)
Once-daily oral semaglutide, 1.5mg to 25mg.
View product →Weight Loss · Rx
Wegovy (Semaglutide Injection)
Once-weekly semaglutide injection.
View product →Weight Loss · Rx
Mounjaro (Tirzepatide)
Once-weekly tirzepatide injection.
View product →Weight Loss · Service
Weight Loss Treatment
How our weight management service and consultation work.
View treatments →References
- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. First GLP-1 tablet for weight loss approved in the UK. 11 June 2026. gov.uk
- Wharton S, Lingvay I, Bogdanski P, et al. Oral Semaglutide at a Dose of 25 mg in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (OASIS 4). N Engl J Med. 2025;393:1077–1087. nejm.org
- The Pharmaceutical Journal. MHRA approves semaglutide oral tablets for weight loss. 2026. pharmaceutical-journal.com
- Wilding JPH, et al. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med. 2021;384:989–1002. nejm.org
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity (TA875). London: NICE. nice.org.uk
- electronic Medicines Compendium. Wegovy 1.5 mg tablets — Summary of Product Characteristics. medicines.org.uk
- MHRA. GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes: what you need to know. gov.uk
- MHRA. Yellow Card scheme. yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk
Medical disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. In a medical emergency, call 999.