GLP-1 Agonist Pills in the UK (October 2026)

01 · The core answer

Which GLP-1 agonist pills are licensed in the UK?

Two GLP-1 weight-loss tablets are licensed in the UK: Wegovy tablets and Foundayo. Wegovy tablets contain oral semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk, and were approved by the MHRA in June 2026. Foundayo contains orforglipron, made by Eli Lilly, and was approved in August 2026.²⁰²¹ They are different medicines from Mounjaro, with their own dosing, eligibility checks and trial results, and both are prescription-only.

For a quick orientation, see our GLP-1 pills overview.

02 · Your decision

Is a pill, or an injection, right for you?

Mounjaro is a once-weekly injection; Wegovy tablets and Foundayo are once-daily tablets. The practical differences matter as much as the averages: Wegovy tablets need a strict empty-stomach routine every morning, Foundayo has no food or water rules, and Mounjaro needs one injection a week.²⁰²¹

Questions worth asking yourself before a consultation:

• Can I keep to a fasting routine every morning, or would a flexible tablet suit me better?
• Would I rather take a medicine daily, or inject once a week?
• Am I taking other medicines, or using the oral contraceptive pill, that need to be considered?
• Do I meet the BMI thresholds: 30 or above, or 27 to under 30 with at least one weight-related condition for the tablets?

A prescriber will check which option is suitable for your health, your other medicines and your routine. You do not need to decide in advance: the consultation is free, and a GPhC-registered prescriber reviews your answers.

03 · What to do next

Where to go from here

If a tablet appeals, you can read about the Wegovy pill and Foundayo (orforglipron) and see current tablet prices on those product pages.

If you prefer the injection route, the Mounjaro pen starts at £169.99 per month for the 2.5mg starting dose at the standard price, and every later order is £25 off the standard price. Our weight loss clinic page explains the full range of licensed options and how a consultation works.

None of this is a recommendation of one medicine over another. Both tablets and the injections are licensed treatments that work alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, and individual results vary.

04 · How GLP-1 medicines work

How GLP-1 agonist pills work

GLP-1 agonist pills act on the same gut-hormone pathway as GLP-1 injections; the difference is how the medicine reaches your body. The hormone pathways involved help regulate appetite and slow how quickly the stomach empties. In practice, most people feel fuller sooner and less hungry between meals, which supports a reduced-calorie diet.¹

The two licensed tablets reach that pathway in different ways. Wegovy tablets contain semaglutide, the same active ingredient as the Wegovy injection. Foundayo contains orforglipron, which is described in the published trial title as an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist.²³

It helps to place these medicines against Mounjaro. Tirzepatide is the first treatment of its kind to activate two natural gut-hormone receptors at once: GIP and GLP-1. This dual action is what distinguishes Mounjaro from single-action GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide.¹ Whether that difference matters to you in practice is a question for your prescriber, not something a trial average can settle on its own.

Three points apply to every GLP-1 medicine, whatever its form:

• It is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, not instead of them.
• Results vary between individuals, so trial averages do not predict your own result.
• The most common side effects are digestive.

For a plain-language look at risk, our page on whether GLP-1 agonists are safe goes through the safety picture in more depth, and the Yellow Card scheme lets you report any side effect to the MHRA.¹⁹

The word "agonist" simply means the medicine switches a receptor on. That is why a pill, a daily injection and a weekly injection can all be called GLP-1 agonists while differing in dosing, trial evidence and everyday practicality. When you compare options, compare the specific product, not the class label.

05 · Wegovy tablets in practice

Wegovy tablets: what they are and how to take them

Wegovy tablets are taken as one tablet once a day, and they contain semaglutide, the same active ingredient as the Wegovy injection.²⁰ They are licensed for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 to under 30 with at least one weight-related condition, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity.

The dose steps up gradually. Treatment starts at 1.5mg once daily and steps up to 4mg, 9mg and then the 25mg maintenance dose, with at least one month at each dose; the dose can stay at an earlier step if needed.²⁰ That flexibility matters: moving up is a decision made with your prescriber, based on how you are tolerating the medicine, not a race to the top dose.

The daily routine is the part people notice most. The tablet must be taken on an empty stomach after fasting for at least 8 hours, swallowed whole with a sip of water (up to half a glass, about 120ml), and you then wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other tablets.²⁰ In practice this suits people who wake up and can delay breakfast and morning medicines. It suits shift workers and early-morning coffee drinkers less well.

If a dose is missed, skip it and take the next tablet the following day.²⁰ Do not double up to compensate.

Moving from the Wegovy injection

People on the 2.4mg weekly Wegovy injection can move to the 25mg tablet, starting one week after their last injection.²⁰ Any switch should happen under prescriber supervision, and two GLP-1 medicines should never be run together.

You can read more about the product, including how a consultation works, on the Wegovy pill page, where current tablet prices are shown. The injectable alternative sits on the Wegovy pen page. Both are prescription-only and are supplied only after a consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber.

Wegovy tablets suit some people very well and others poorly. Questions to raise in a consultation include your usual morning routine, other regular tablets and any digestive conditions. Those details shape whether this tablet fits your life as well as your health.

06 · Wegovy tablet results

Wegovy tablets: trial results and side effects

In the pivotal tablet trial, adults lost on average 13.6% of their body weight on the highest dose, compared with 2.2% on placebo.

The trial also reports how many people reached particular thresholds: 76.3% lost at least 5% of their body weight (vs 30.5% on placebo) and 59.8% lost at least 10% (vs 14.1%).²² These are trial averages, treatment works alongside diet and activity, and individual results vary.

A fair reading is that the tablet produces clinically meaningful average weight loss compared with placebo. What it does not allow is a head-to-head claim against any other medicine. The tablet trial was a separate study with different people, a different duration and a different dose from the injection trials, so the numbers should not be set against each other.

Side effects to expect

The most common side effects are digestive — nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, indigestion and stomach pain — along with headache and tiredness; gallstones and hair loss are listed as common.²²

If you notice a new symptom that worries you, speak to your prescriber, and report it through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.¹⁹ Mounjaro must not be used during pregnancy, and it should be stopped at least one month before trying to conceive. If you become pregnant during treatment, stop the medicine and tell your prescriber promptly. If you are breastfeeding, discuss it with your prescriber before starting.

For comparison with the older injectable evidence, the semaglutide injection has its own trial record. In STEP 1, adults on semaglutide 2.4mg (Wegovy) lost on average 14.9% of body weight over 68 weeks, compared with 2.4% on placebo.⁹

Wegovy tablets need a demanding daily routine, so consider whether you can keep to it consistently.

07 · Foundayo in practice

Foundayo (orforglipron): what it is and how to take it

Foundayo is a once-daily GLP-1 tablet made by Eli Lilly, the maker of Mounjaro. It contains orforglipron. Unlike Wegovy tablets it can be taken at any time of day, with or without food and without water restrictions; the tablet is swallowed whole.²¹ For people whose mornings are unpredictable, that freedom is the main practical draw.

It is licensed for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 to under 30 with at least one weight-related condition, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity.²¹ Those thresholds match the Wegovy tablet licence, but your prescriber still assesses suitability individually, including your other medicines.

Dose steps

Treatment starts at 0.8mg once daily, then steps up to 2.5mg and 5.5mg, and then to 9mg, 14.5mg or 17.2mg depending on response and tolerability, with at least 30 days at each dose; 17.2mg once daily is the maximum.²¹ Because the later steps depend on response and tolerability, two people on Foundayo may settle at different doses.

If a dose is missed, take it as soon as possible, but never more than one tablet a day.²¹

Contraception

Foundayo may make oral contraceptive pills less effective: switch to a non-oral method or add a barrier method for 30 days after starting and for 30 days after each dose increase.²¹ Plan this before your first tablet, not after. Mention the contraceptive pill, and any plans for pregnancy, in your consultation.

MHRA guidance covers contraception with GLP-1 and GIP medicines more broadly, and the same principle of checking contraception applies to Mounjaro, which slows stomach emptying and can reduce absorption of oral contraceptive pills.⁷ If you use the contraceptive pill with Mounjaro, switch to a non-oral method, or add a barrier method (such as condoms), for 4 weeks after starting Mounjaro and for 4 weeks after each dose increase. Implants, coils and injections are not affected by the Mounjaro interaction.

You can read the product details and see current prices on our Foundayo (orforglipron) page. As with every prescription medicine we supply, it is only provided after a consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber, and repeat orders re-check suitability. We do not auto-ship.

08 · Foundayo trial results

Foundayo: trial results and side effects

In the main Foundayo trial, people on the highest dose lost on average 12.4% of body weight, compared with 0.9% on placebo.

There is an important caveat about doses. The trial used capsules, and the UK 17.2mg tablet corresponds to the highest trial dose, so the tablet and capsule doses are not comparable milligram for milligram.²³

Side effects and stopping early

The most common side effects are digestive — nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting, indigestion and stomach pain.²³ In the trial, 10.3% of people on the highest dose stopped because of side effects, compared with 2.7% on placebo.²³

A sensible way to use this evidence:

• Treat the trial averages as a general guide to what a group experienced, not a forecast for you.
• Expect digestive side effects to be the main thing to manage, and tell your prescriber early if they are troublesome.
• Remember that trial participants followed a reduced-calorie diet and increased activity alongside treatment, and so should you.

The Foundayo and Wegovy tablet trials differ in design, duration and dose, so their results should not be set against each other or against Mounjaro as if head to head.

09 · Pills vs Mounjaro and Wegovy

GLP-1 pills vs Mounjaro and Wegovy injections

No trial has compared Mounjaro directly with either tablet, so you cannot read one number against another. Results from separate trials, with different people, durations and doses, should not be set against each other as if they were head to head (SURMOUNT-5 is the trial that compared tirzepatide directly with injected semaglutide).¹⁵

That direct comparison exists only between tirzepatide and the semaglutide injection. In SURMOUNT-5, adults on tirzepatide lost on average 20.2% of body weight over 72 weeks versus 13.7% on semaglutide 2.4mg (Wegovy). Both are effective, licensed treatments; which suits you depends on your health profile, tolerance and prescriber advice, not the headline number alone.¹⁵

How to think about it

A once-weekly injection suits people who prefer to deal with treatment once and move on. Daily tablets suit people who dislike needles and are happy with a daily habit. The choice between the two tablets is largely about routine: fasting each morning versus no food rules at all.

If you currently use the semaglutide injection and are curious about tirzepatide, there is no licensed direct conversion. Switching is done under prescriber supervision: typically the previous medicine is stopped, a washout interval observed, and Mounjaro started at a dose your prescriber judges appropriate, often the 2.5mg starting dose. Never run two GLP-1 medicines together.¹

Mounjaro is a once-weekly injection in six strengths: 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg.¹ There is no tablet form: tirzepatide is injection-only in the UK. New customers save £40 on their first order with code FIRST40, and an automatic £25 reorder discount applies to every future order (code DOSE25). Prices checked 10 October 2026. You can see all doses and start a consultation on the Mounjaro pen page.

10 · NHS and private access

NHS access and private treatment

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 NHS primary-care rollout began in June 2025 with the highest-need groups first (initially BMI 40+ with four or more qualifying conditions).⁴⁶ Full rollout is expected to take years, which is why many people who meet the licensed criteria choose regulated private treatment rather than waiting.

People often ask which weight-loss injections the NHS offers. NHS access to Wegovy runs through specialist weight-management services; ask your GP. For the licensed GLP-1 tablets, ask your GP or the NHS about local availability.

What private treatment involves

Private GLP-1 treatment from a regulated pharmacy follows a clear pathway. Our consultation is free, and the price shown is the price paid, with no hidden fees:

• Complete a short, free online health questionnaire with no obligation.
• A GPhC-registered prescriber reviews it. Payment is taken when you place the order; if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full.
• Your order is dispensed by our registered pharmacy, with same-day dispatch when ordered by 3pm.
• Delivery is free next-day tracked (DPD, temperature-controlled packaging, discreet). Saturday delivery is £14.99.

We are a GPhC-registered pharmacy (registration 9012878), and Mounjaro comes through official LillyDirect supply, direct from Eli Lilly's UK distribution. All six doses are in stock. Ongoing monthly reviews, dose titration and side-effect support are part of the aftercare.

Costs and planning

A new customer's first order is £40 less and every later order £25 less.

For broader context on other routes, our page on an alternative to GLP-1 agonists looks at non-GLP-1 options, and the weight loss clinic hub explains the full service.

11 · Unlicensed options to avoid

Unlicensed pills, peptides and supplements to avoid

A GLP-1 pill is only a safe choice when it is a licensed medicine supplied through a regulated pharmacy. Mounjaro must not be combined with other GLP-1 medicines, unlicensed "research" peptides (such as retatrutide, which has no UK licence), or compounded copies. These combinations have no safety data and no regulated supply chain. If something promises faster results outside a licensed pathway, that is the warning sign.⁷

Retatrutide has no UK licence and must not be combined with Mounjaro. Our page on GLP-1 agonist peptides explains why unlicensed peptides sit outside safe practice.

"Natural GLP-1" supplements

"Natural GLP-1" supplements, such as berberine, are not medicines, are not regulated for this use and have no comparable trial evidence.¹ They are available cheaply without any assessment, and dosing is not standardised. That low cost and easy access is exactly why they appeal, and exactly why they come with no clinical oversight. Dramatic weight-loss claims attached to them should be treated with scepticism.

Ozempic and other licensing traps

Ozempic is semaglutide licensed for type 2 diabetes. It is not a UK weight-loss medicine, and prescribing it privately for weight loss is off-label. The licensed weight-management options are Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4mg), plus the two licensed GLP-1 tablets, Wegovy tablets and Foundayo. A regulated UK pharmacy will not supply Ozempic for weight loss.

Other licensed options work differently. Orlistat is a tablet that blocks some dietary fat absorption and produces smaller average losses. Saxenda (liraglutide) is a daily injection supplied at 6mg/ml, unlike once-weekly Mounjaro and Wegovy.

Spotting unsafe sellers

Be wary of any seller offering to supply without a consultation or prescription, or one that promises specific results. Check the pharmacy on the public GPhC register, where ours is listed under registration 9012878.¹² The MHRA publishes counterfeit medicine alerts and runs the Yellow Card scheme for reporting side effects.⁷

Pregnancy matters for every product in this category. Mounjaro must not be used during pregnancy, and it should be stopped at least one month before trying to conceive.¹ Our page on GLP-1 agonists and Alzheimer's covers a separate, still-developing research area that does not change what is licensed for weight management.

12 · 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