Different Types of GLP-1 Drugs in the UK (October 2026)

01 · The core answer

Which type of GLP-1 drug is relevant to you?

The right type depends on your health, your preference for injections or tablets, and what a prescriber judges suitable. You cannot choose by yourself, because every option here is prescription-only. Our weight loss clinic starts with a free consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber.

If you are already leaning towards a weekly pen, compare the Mounjaro pen with the Wegovy pen. A first 2.5mg Mounjaro pen costs £129.99 with code FIRST40 (standard price £169.99), and prices were checked 12 October 2026.

Related guide: Are there different types of mounjaro.

02 · Daily and weekly injections

Daily and weekly injections

Liraglutide, sold as Saxenda and in products such as Erly, is a daily injection supplied at 6mg per millilitre. Semaglutide and tirzepatide are once-weekly instead.

The Wegovy pen comes in 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg strengths. Doses step up after 4 weeks on each of 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg and 1.7mg, so the 2.4mg maintenance dose, the licensed maintenance dose for weight management, starts from week 17.¹⁸ For more on the options, see different types of weight loss injections.

03 · Mounjaro: dual action

Mounjaro: the dual-action option

Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide, a once-weekly injectable made by Eli Lilly. It is licensed in the UK for weight management in adults and for type 2 diabetes, and comes in six strengths: 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg.¹

Tirzepatide activates two natural gut-hormone receptors at once: GIP and GLP-1. Together these help regulate appetite, slow how quickly the stomach empties, and improve the way the body responds to insulin. This dual action distinguishes it from single-action semaglutide.¹

In SURMOUNT-1, people taking tirzepatide alongside diet and exercise lost on average 15% of their body weight on 5mg, 19.5% on 10mg and 20.9% on 15mg over 72 weeks, compared with 3.1% with lifestyle changes alone. These are trial averages, and individual results vary.² See also different types of Mounjaro.

04 · GLP-1 tablets

GLP-1 tablets

Tablet options now exist for people who prefer to avoid injections: Wegovy tablets (oral semaglutide) and Foundayo (orforglipron). Each has its own prescribing information, covered in its SmPC.²⁰²¹

Tablet trial results should not be set against Mounjaro's, because they come from different studies.

05 · Natural alternatives

"Poor man's Ozempic" and natural options

Berberine and similar products are sometimes called "nature's Ozempic". They are low-cost supplements with no clinical oversight, and dosing is not standardised. They are not medicines, are not regulated for this use and have no comparable trial evidence, so they are not an established equivalent of a licensed medicine.

A prescriber can talk through licensed options. Watch for sellers offering to supply without a consultation or prescription, which is a counterfeit risk.

06 · Serious side effects

Serious side effects: when to get help straight away

Serious side effects are uncommon but need urgent attention. Seek immediate medical help for: severe, persistent stomach pain that may spread to your back, with or without vomiting (possible pancreatitis); pain in the upper right abdomen, fever or yellowing of skin/eyes (possible gallbladder problems); or signs of a severe allergic reaction such as swelling of the face or throat and difficulty breathing. If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea alongside Mounjaro, watch for low blood sugar (shakiness, sweating, confusion) — your prescriber may need to adjust those medicines.¹

07 · Side effects and NHS access

Side effects, stopping and NHS access

Tolerability differs between people, so no GLP-1 medicine can be named as having the fewest side effects. Report any new symptom to your prescriber and via the Yellow Card scheme.¹⁹

Mounjaro is available on the NHS, but access is being phased in over several years. NICE recommends it for adults with a BMI of at least 35 plus at least one weight-related condition, and the primary-care rollout began in June 2025 with the highest-need groups first.⁴ For related reading, see different weight loss drugs.