GLP-1 Medication Examples in the UK (October 2026)

01 · The core answer

Which GLP-1 medicines exist, and which is relevant to you?

The licensed GLP-1 examples you are most likely to meet in the UK fall into clear groups: tirzepatide, semaglutide and liraglutide as injections, plus newer oral options. They are not interchangeable. Each has its own dosing pattern, its own trial evidence and its own product information, so the right one depends on your health, your goals and what your prescriber considers suitable.

The table shows how the examples differ in format, not which is superior. Only SURMOUNT-5 supports a direct tirzepatide-versus-semaglutide comparison, and trial averages do not predict your own result.¹⁵

02 · Your decision

What to do next

If you are researching for weight management, the practical question is not which name is most famous but which licensed medicine suits your health history. A GPhC-registered prescriber reviews that through a free online consultation, and unsuitable orders are refunded automatically. Medicines are used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, not instead of them.¹

Cost matters to most readers, so here is the honest picture. Your first Mounjaro 2.5mg pen costs £129.99 with code FIRST40 (standard price £169.99), and every later order is £25 off the standard price. You can see current Mounjaro pen prices and the consultation on the product page, or compare the Wegovy pen, whose first pen is £99.99 as a first-order price. Prices were checked 12 October 2026.

If you are not yet sure whether any GLP-1 medicine is right for you, our weight loss clinic explains the options in plain language before you commit to anything. There is no obligation to proceed after the consultation questionnaire.

Two decisions are worth separating. The first is whether you want a medicine at all, which is a conversation with a prescriber. The second is which format fits your life: a weekly pen, a daily injection or a tablet. Many people find weekly dosing easiest to remember, while others prefer to avoid needles entirely, which is where tablets come in. Neither preference changes the need for a clinical review, and neither should be settled by brand recognition alone.

Related guide: What are examples of glp 1 medications.

03 · What GLP-1 means

What are GLP-1 medications?

GLP-1 medications are prescription medicines that act on the receptor for glucagon-like peptide-1, a natural gut hormone involved in appetite and blood sugar control. The term "GLP-1 agonist" or "GLP-1 receptor agonist" describes the same family.

Mechanism is where the examples start to differ. Tirzepatide is the first treatment of its kind to activate 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. In practice, most people feel fuller sooner and less hungry between meals, which supports a reduced-calorie diet.¹

That dual action is what distinguishes Mounjaro from single-action GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic).¹ Single-action simply means the medicine activates the GLP-1 receptor alone. Neither design is a shortcut. Both work alongside food choices and activity, and both need ongoing review.

"GLP-1 inhibitor" is a common mislabel: these medicines activate the receptor rather than blocking it, which is why clinicians say agonist or mimetic. If you want to see how the terms are used, our pages on examples of GLP-1 inhibitors and GLP-1 mimetic examples unpack the language.

Why do the examples matter? Because the name on the box decides the dosing schedule, the storage rules, the licensed use and the evidence behind it. A once-weekly pen is stored and handled differently from a daily injection, and a tablet raises its own questions about timing with food and other medicines. Treat any GLP-1 list as a map of options rather than a ranking.

One more point of honesty: being a GLP-1 medicine does not make a product suitable for weight management. Licences differ by product, and some are authorised for type 2 diabetes rather than weight. Whatever you are considering, ask which licensed use applies to you, what monitoring is involved and how long the plan is meant to run.

It also helps to know what GLP-1 medicines are not. They are not a substitute for a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, they do not act instantly, and they are not suited to everyone.

04 · Tirzepatide: Mounjaro

Tirzepatide: Mounjaro

Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide, a once-weekly injectable prescription medicine made by Eli Lilly. In the UK it is licensed for weight management in adults and for type 2 diabetes. It comes as a pre-filled multi-dose pen (KwikPen) in six strengths: 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg.¹ Our page of Mounjaro examples shows how the strengths are used in practice.

Each pen is a four-week supply, and the dose is reviewed after at least four weeks by the prescribing team.

The headline efficacy comes from SURMOUNT-1. In the SURMOUNT-1 trial of 2,539 adults, 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 — individual results vary, and treatment works alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, not instead of them.²

To make that concrete, for someone starting at 100 kg, 20.9% is about 21 kg. That is arithmetic on a trial average, not a forecast of your result.

SURMOUNT-5 is the trial that compares tirzepatide directly with semaglutide.¹⁵

What happens when you stop? Tirzepatide has a half-life of about five days, so after a final dose it takes roughly 4–5 weeks to clear the system — there is no way to speed this up, and nothing needs doing while it clears.¹ Mounjaro manages weight; it does not cure the biology behind it. In SURMOUNT-4, people who stopped tirzepatide after 36 weeks regained on average 14% of body weight over the following year, while those who continued treatment lost a further 5.5% on average. Stopping should always be planned with your prescriber, with diet and activity habits ready to carry the load.

On cost, the standard price of the 2.5mg pen is £169.99 and the 15mg pen is £329.99. Across the UK pharmacies we track, the cheapest and dearest Mounjaro pens at any dose range from £143.96 to £339.00 (checked 12 October 2026). A first year costs £2,711.88 if you stay on 5mg after your 2.5mg starting pen, up to £3,599.88 if you step up through every dose to 15mg, before the new-customer discount on a first order and the reorder discount on every later one. Our supply is official LillyDirect, with genuine KwikPens and all six doses in stock.

Mounjaro is a prescription-only medicine, supplied only after an online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber. It is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Individual results vary, and this is information, not a substitute for medical advice.

05 · Semaglutide: Wegovy, Ozempic

Semaglutide: Wegovy and Ozempic

Semaglutide is the second major GLP-1 example, sold under the names Wegovy and Ozempic. It is a once-weekly injection and a single-action GLP-1 medicine, meaning it works on the GLP-1 receptor alone rather than on GIP and GLP-1 together.¹ Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4mg) is licensed for weight management, while Ozempic is semaglutide licensed for type 2 diabetes — it is not a UK weight-loss medicine, and a regulated UK pharmacy will not supply Ozempic for weight loss.

Wegovy follows a defined dose ladder: pens are 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg once weekly. Titration steps up after 4 weeks on each of 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg and 1.7mg, so the 2.4mg maintenance dose starts from week 17, and 2.4mg is the licensed maintenance dose for weight management.¹⁸ That structure mirrors the stepped approach used for tirzepatide, though the doses are not comparable milligram for milligram because they are different molecules.

The mg values describe different medicines and should never be matched against each other.

Semaglutide's weight-loss results come from the STEP 1 trial, and the head-to-head evidence against tirzepatide comes from SURMOUNT-5.⁹¹⁵ If you want a fair view of the two, our product pages and prescribers can talk you through the evidence for each.

On price, the first Wegovy pen is £99.99 as a first-order price. You can review the current Wegovy pen details before you decide. As a rule, pricing between brands changes over time, so judge cost on the date shown rather than on an old article.

Why might a prescriber suggest semaglutide rather than tirzepatide? Reasons include your medical history, other medicines you take, previous experience with a GLP-1 medicine, and how you tolerated a given dose. Why might they suggest tirzepatide? Similar factors, in reverse. Neither is a failure of the other. Both are licensed treatments, and the choice is individual.

What about switching? Switching between brands is a clinical decision made with your prescriber, not a conversion you should work out yourself, because the doses do not map across. If you are thinking of moving from one medicine to another, tell the prescribing team which dose you are on and how you have been feeling so they can advise a safe starting point.

Whichever semaglutide product you consider, use only a pharmacy that is registered. Check the GPhC register, and never accept an offer to supply without a consultation or prescription. Our registration number is GPhC 9012878.¹²

06 · Liraglutide: Saxenda, Erly

Liraglutide: Saxenda and Erly

Liraglutide, sold as Saxenda and in products such as Erly, is the daily-injection example of a GLP-1 medicine. It is supplied at a concentration of 6mg per millilitre, and unlike once-weekly Mounjaro and Wegovy it is injected every day. That single difference shapes how the treatment feels to live with, because a daily routine needs to be built around it.

Why do some people still look at a daily injection? Reasons can include prescriber preference, a history with the product, or availability at the time. A once-weekly pen means fewer injections, which many people find easier to keep up, but convenience is a personal judgement rather than a clinical rule. It is reasonable to ask a prescriber why they are recommending a given format.

A common source of confusion is the milligram number. Liraglutide's 6mg per millilitre describes concentration in the pen, not a weekly dose, and it cannot be compared with Mounjaro's 2.5mg to 15mg strengths or Wegovy's ladder. Avoid doing any conversion of your own between products, because the molecules and schedules differ.

Where does Saxenda sit relative to the newer options? It is the older approach. That does not make the older medicine unsuitable. It means a prescriber should weigh your circumstances rather than assume newer is always better.

If you take other medicines, tell your prescriber about all of them. For Mounjaro, slowing stomach emptying can affect how quickly some oral medicines are absorbed, and insulin or sulfonylureas may need dose adjustments. The same habit of listing everything you take is sensible with any GLP-1 medicine, and the specific advice should come from the product's own leaflet and your prescriber.¹³

For a broader view of the whole family, including the daily injections, our complete list of GLP-1 examples gathers the brand names in one place. If you are weighing weekly against daily dosing, a free consultation with a GPhC-registered prescriber is the easiest way to get a personal answer without any obligation.

Finally, remember that liraglutide, like every example here, is intended for use alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. No GLP-1 medicine replaces those foundations, and none promises specific results.

07 · GLP-1 tablets in the UK

GLP-1 tablets available in the UK

The oral GLP-1 options now include Wegovy tablets (oral semaglutide) and Foundayo (orforglipron), both of which have UK product information on the electronic medicines compendium.²⁰²¹ Foundayo contains orforglipron, described in its trial title as an oral small-molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist. That description separates it from semaglutide, which is a peptide medicine.

Where can you buy GLP-1 pills? Only through a registered pharmacy after a prescriber has reviewed your suitability. There is no legitimate over-the-counter GLP-1 tablet. Anyone offering to supply without a consultation or prescription should be treated with caution, and you can check any pharmacy on the GPhC register.¹²

See current Wegovy tablet prices on the Wegovy product page, where the live figure is shown.

Is a tablet better than an injection? That depends on what you want. The OASIS 4 and ATTAIN-1 trials studied oral semaglutide and orforglipron respectively; no trial has compared Mounjaro directly with either tablet, and only SURMOUNT-5 supports a tirzepatide-versus-semaglutide comparison.²²²³

People who dislike needles naturally ask about the "best weight loss pill". There is no single best pill. A fair answer is that a licensed oral GLP-1 medicine may suit some adults, a prescriber decides whether it suits you, and it still sits alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Anyone promising a miracle tablet is selling something other than clinical care.

A practical reminder on interactions: oral medicines can behave differently when stomach emptying changes, and a tablet GLP-1 adds its own timing considerations. Read the leaflet's instructions closely and follow your prescriber's directions on when to take it. For anything unclear, such as how to take it relative to food or other medicines, ask the pharmacy before your first dose.

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. Discuss breastfeeding and contraception with your prescriber too. The MHRA has guidance on contraception with GLP-1/GIP medicines, and for Mounjaro the relevant point is that it can reduce absorption of oral contraceptives because stomach emptying slows.⁷ The SmPC advises switching to a non-oral method, or adding a barrier method (such as condoms), for 4 weeks after starting Mounjaro and for 4 weeks after each dose increase.¹ Your prescriber can advise on what applies to the product you choose.

If you are tablet-curious, begin with the weight loss clinic page and the Wegovy product page, which show current options and let you start the free consultation. There is no charge for the questionnaire and no obligation to continue.

08 · Safety and the safest option

What is the safest GLP-1 to take?

No GLP-1 medicine is universally the safest, because safety depends on you: your health conditions, other medicines, weight history and how your body responds. A licensed medicine supplied by a registered pharmacy after prescriber review is the safe route. Unregulated products, whatever their marketing says, are not.

Because Mounjaro slows stomach emptying, it can affect how quickly some oral medicines are absorbed, particularly when you start treatment or increase the dose. Tell your prescriber about everything you take — especially warfarin or other narrow-margin medicines, insulin, or sulfonylureas (where doses may need reducing to avoid low blood sugar). No adjustment is needed for paracetamol.¹³

Contraception is another area to raise. Mounjaro slows stomach emptying, which can reduce how well oral contraceptive pills are absorbed. The SmPC advises switching to a non-oral method, or adding a barrier method (such as condoms), for 4 weeks after starting Mounjaro and for 4 weeks after each dose increase.⁷ Never assume a GLP-1 product is compatible with your current regimen without checking.

Mental health has also been looked at. The European Medicines Agency's PRAC reviewed a signal about suicidal ideation with GLP-1 receptor agonists.¹⁷ Regulators concluded the evidence does not support a causal link, but any big change in weight, appetite and routine can affect how you feel. Tell your prescriber about any history of depression, and seek help promptly if your mood drops or you have distressing thoughts during treatment; if you have thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life, get medical help straight away.

If you have thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life, get help straight away. Call 999 or go to A&E if you are in immediate danger. In England you can call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, any time. You can also call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night. Tell your prescriber about any change in your mood while taking Mounjaro.

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. A symptom that is not on the Mounjaro patient leaflet list is not a listed side effect; tell your prescriber about any new or lasting symptom, and you can report suspected side effects through the Yellow Card scheme. Reports help regulators monitor medicines, and you can use the scheme yourself.¹⁹

Counterfeits are a real concern with in-demand medicines. MHRA counterfeit alerts exist for a reason, and genuine KwikPens come from official supply chains.⁷ Our Mounjaro comes through official LillyDirect supply, direct from Eli Lilly's UK distribution. Be wary of anyone selling pens without asking about your health, or offering to supply without a consultation or prescription.

What is a safer alternative to GLP-1? For some people the answer is not a different drug but a different approach: structured diet and activity support, a conversation with the GP, or other treatments a clinician considers appropriate. Ask a prescriber what suits your situation.

Day-to-day, a good safety habit is to keep every review appointment. Our prescribing team carries out ongoing monthly reviews, dose titration and follow-up assessments, with side-effect support, and repeat orders re-check suitability rather than shipping automatically. That continuing oversight is a large part of what makes treatment safer than a one-off purchase.

09 · NHS and private access

NHS and private access to GLP-1 medicines

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). Full rollout is expected to take years, which is why many people who meet the licensed criteria choose regulated private treatment rather than waiting.⁴⁶

For Wegovy, NHS access runs through specialist weight-management services; ask your GP.

For people who choose private treatment, the next question is what it costs. The honest answer: it depends on the medicine and dose. For Mounjaro, a first 2.5mg pen costs £129.99 with code FIRST40 (standard price £169.99). The reorder discount of £25 applies to every later order through code DOSE25, so every later order is £25 off the standard price. If you are switching to us from another provider at a higher dose, the new-customer discount applies to your first order at any dose, and a first 15mg order is £289.99 as a first-order price.

What is the most affordable GLP-1 medication? For Mounjaro, across the UK pharmacies we track, the cheapest starting pen is £143.96 and the dearest is £179.99 (checked 12 October 2026). The gap between providers for the same dose ranges from £27 to £41. Boots' Mounjaro dose prices run from £179.00 to £339.00. Compare dose for dose, not headline starting price alone.

Planning a year? If you step up after 4 weeks on each dose, your first four pens (2.5mg to 10mg) cost £959.96 at standard prices, before discounts. A first year costs £2,711.88 if you stay on 5mg after your 2.5mg starting pen, up to £3,599.88 if you step up through every dose to 15mg, again before the new-customer discount on a first order and the reorder discount on later ones. For any other maintenance dose, work from the monthly price: £279.99 at 7.5mg, £290.99 at 10mg and £319.99 at 12.5mg.

Eli Lilly raised the UK list price of Mounjaro in 2025, and prices at pharmacies vary because of confidential discounts. Our prices are shown live and dated, with the consultation free, so the price shown is the price paid with no hidden fees. Payment is by Visa or Mastercard, Klarna and pay-monthly options, and there are no subscriptions.

Payment is taken when you place the order; if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full. Same-day dispatch applies when you order by 3pm, and Saturday delivery is £14.99. Needles, a sharps bin and injection guidance come with every order.

10 · Supplements and storage

Supplements, "poor man's Ozempic" and practical handling

The phrase "poor man's Ozempic" usually refers to berberine, a supplement also marketed as "nature's Ozempic". It is not a GLP-1 medicine, it is not a licensed treatment, and it carries no clinical oversight. It is low-cost and available cheaply without assessment, which is exactly the appeal and exactly the problem.

Dramatic weight-loss claims attached to supplements should be treated sceptically. A product that sounds like a licensed medicine is not one, and the name borrows credibility it has not earned.

If cost is what is pushing you toward a supplement, a better step is to ask a prescriber what is realistic. The consultation is free, and our pricing is shown live so you can see what a licensed medicine costs before deciding. For reference, Mounjaro's first 2.5mg pen is £129.99 with code FIRST40, with every later order £25 off the standard price.

Once you have a pen, handling matters. Store unopened pens in the fridge at 2–8°C until first use, and they keep until the printed expiry date. Once in use, a KwikPen is licensed for up to 30 days (not above 30°C) out of the fridge.¹³ For anything outside that, such as a pen that has been left somewhere warm, read the patient information leaflet and contact the pharmacy rather than guessing, because sterility and potency are no longer assured outside the tested window.

Follow the pen's instructions for each injection. If a dose is missed or something feels wrong, contact the prescribing team through support, available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm by email at support@everydaymeds.co.uk, by account chat, or by phone on 0333 207 0413.

Tracking can make the process easier. GLPTrackr is our free companion app for tracking a GLP-1 journey, available on iOS and Android. It is a convenience, not a clinical tool, and it does not replace your monthly reviews.

Finally, how do you tell a trustworthy supplier from a risky one? Look for a GPhC registration you can verify, a consultation reviewed by a prescriber, and clear statements about supply. Be cautious of anything cheap, fast and consultation-free. Reporting suspect products or side effects to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme helps protect other patients too.⁷