Weight Loss Oral Medication on Prescription in the UK (October 2026)

01 · Compare

Which weight loss tablets can you get on prescription?

You can be prescribed Wegovy tablets, Foundayo or orlistat in the UK, if a prescriber judges one suitable for you. The two GLP-1 tablets were approved by the MHRA in June 2026 (Wegovy tablets) and August 2026 (Foundayo).²⁰²¹ Our guide to new oral weight loss medication covers the latest approvals.

These are separate trials with different people, durations and doses. They are not a head-to-head comparison, and individual results vary.²⁰ The first large trial in this group that compared tirzepatide directly with injected semaglutide is SURMOUNT-5.¹⁵

02 · Evidence

Does oral weight loss medication work?

Yes, in trials the licensed GLP-1 tablets produced meaningful average weight loss alongside diet and activity. In OASIS 4, 76.3% of people on Wegovy tablets lost at least 5% of their body weight (30.5% on placebo), and 59.8% lost at least 10% (14.1% on placebo).²² Trial averages do not predict your own result.

Tablets work alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, not instead of them. Our oral GLP-1 weight loss page covers the practical side of taking them.

03 · Injection

If a tablet does not suit you

If daily tablets or the Wegovy fasting routine do not fit your life, a once-weekly injection may. There is no oral Mounjaro for weight loss: tirzepatide is injection-only in the UK, and the licensed pen is the only form. The Mounjaro pen starts at £169.99 for the 2.5mg starter pen (four weeks). New customers pay £129.99 for that first pen with code FIRST40, and every later order is £25 off the standard price. All six doses are in stock, with prices checked 10 October 2026. You can compare all weight loss treatments or buy weight loss medication in the UK through our pharmacy.

04 · Wegovy tablets

Wegovy tablets: how they work and how to take them

Wegovy tablets contain semaglutide, the same active ingredient as the Wegovy injection, taken once a day.²⁰ They are licensed for 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.²⁰

Treatment starts at 1.5mg 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

The routine is strict. Take the tablet after fasting for at least 8 hours, swallow it whole with a sip of water (up to half a glass, about 120ml), then wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other tablets. If you miss a dose, skip it and take the next tablet the following day.²⁰ People on the 2.4mg weekly Wegovy injection can move to the 25mg tablet, starting one week after their last injection.²⁰

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

05 · Foundayo

Foundayo (orforglipron): the no-fasting tablet

Foundayo is a once-daily GLP-1 tablet made by Eli Lilly, the maker of Mounjaro. 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

It is licensed for 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. Treatment starts at 0.8mg daily, then steps up to 2.5mg and 5.5mg, 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 If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible, but never more than one tablet a day.²¹

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

In ATTAIN-1 (3,127 adults without type 2 diabetes), the highest dose gave an average 12.4% loss over 72 weeks vs 0.9% on placebo; the two lower doses gave 7.8% and 9.3%. The trial used capsules, so tablet and capsule doses are not comparable milligram for milligram. In the trial, 10.3% on the highest dose stopped because of side effects, vs 2.7% on placebo.²³

06 · Safe, and diabetes tablets

Safe oral weight loss medication, and diabetes tablets

Safety depends on a prescriber matching the medicine to your health, so licensed, prescribed tablets are the safe route and unregulated products are not. "Natural GLP-1" supplements such as berberine are not medicines, are not regulated for this use and have no comparable trial evidence; dosing is not standardised. They are low-cost supplements with no clinical oversight.²⁰

A prescriber will check your BMI, medical history and current medicines before choosing. Common side effects of the GLP-1 tablets are digestive, and in the trials some people stopped treatment because of them.²³

Whether any diabetes tablet affects weight is a decision for your prescriber, who can advise on your own situation.

Report suspected side effects through the Yellow Card scheme.¹⁹

07 · Tablet or injection

Tablet or injection: which fits your routine?

Choose by routine and suitability, not by comparing trial averages. Mounjaro is a once-weekly injection; Wegovy tablets and Foundayo are once-daily tablets. Wegovy tablets need a strict empty-stomach routine each morning, Foundayo has no food or water rules, and Mounjaro needs one injection a week. No trial has compared Mounjaro directly with either tablet.

A prescriber will check which option is suitable for your health, your other medicines and your routine. Our guide to GLP-1 oral and injection options sets the choices out side by side.

08 · Getting a prescription

How to get a prescription

You get one through a consultation with a prescriber, either through the NHS or privately. NHS access to Mounjaro 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 NHS access to Wegovy runs through specialist weight-management services; ask your GP.

If you choose private treatment with us, ordering has three steps:

• Complete the free online consultation, a short 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.
• We dispense and dispatch same day when ordered by 3pm, with free next-day tracked delivery in discreet, temperature-controlled packaging.

You can start your free consultation whenever you are ready. Our pharmacy is GPhC-registered (9012878), and ongoing monthly reviews are included. The guide to the cheapest prescription weight loss medication covers cost questions. Mounjaro is a prescription-only medicine, supplied only after an online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber. Individual results vary, and this page is information, not a substitute for medical advice.

09 · Realistic expectations

What pace of weight loss to expect

Think in months, not days. Mounjaro, for example, is gradual by design; trials measured results at 72 weeks, and judging progress by trend rather than individual weigh-ins is the sensible approach.

Plateaus of a few weeks are normal as the body adapts to a lower weight. If you hit one, review food intake honestly, protect protein and activity, check sleep and alcohol, and talk to your prescriber about whether a step-up is appropriate. A plateau is not a reason to double doses or add unlicensed products. Wegovy tablets and Foundayo also use stepped doses, with at least one month and at least 30 days at each step respectively.

10 · 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.