Weight-loss drug Wegovy to be available in pill form in UK for first time

A pill version of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy has been approved in the UK, meaning people can soon buy it with a prescription.

It is the first tablet of its kind to get cleared by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Manufacturer Novo Nordisk says the once-a-day tablet could be more convenient for some people than injecting themselves weekly with GLP-1 medication that blunts appetite. And, unlike the jab, the pills do not need to be kept in the fridge.

However, it will not be available on the NHS until experts can assess and decide if that should be recommended.

The body that would make that decision - The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence - said Novo Nordisk had not yet approached them about it, but they were "in active dialogue" with the company.

Some high street and online pharmacies plan to add it to their doctor prescribing services in the coming weeks.

The MHRA says the starting dose for the tablet is 1.5 mg once daily, escalating to 4 mg, 9 mg and 25 mg with a minimum duration of one month at each dose level.

Patients currently treated privately with a 2.4 mg semaglutide injection once weekly can be transitioned straight to semaglutide 25 mg tablets once daily.