| TL;DR: The MHRA approved a semaglutide (Wegovy) tablet for weight loss on 11 June 2026, the first GLP-1 tablet of its kind in the UK. It is not currently available on the NHS and will need a separate NICE evaluation before that can happen, so for now it is a private prescription-only medicine. Last reviewed July 2026 |
| REGULATIONS : GLP-1 WEIGHT LOSS TABLET APPROVED |
| Not medical advice: This article reports a regulatory decision and its cost and access implications. It is not medical advice. Speak to your GP or pharmacist about whether any medicine is appropriate for you. |
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approved a semaglutide tablet, sold as Wegovy, for weight loss and weight management in the UK on 11 June 2026, the first GLP-1 receptor agonist available as a tablet rather than an injection. It is approved for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 to 30 with at least one weight-related health condition. The tablet is not currently available on the NHS and remains a prescription-only, privately funded medicine pending a separate NICE evaluation.
KEY FACTS
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What the MHRA actually approved
On 11 June 2026, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approved a semaglutide tablet, marketed as Wegovy, for weight loss and weight management in UK adults. This is the first GLP-1 receptor agonist medicine available in the UK as an oral tablet, rather than the weekly injection that semaglutide and similar medicines have previously been administered as.
Semaglutide works by mimicking a naturally occurring hormone, GLP-1, released by the body after eating, acting on the areas of the brain that regulate appetite. This is intended to help people feel fuller for longer and reduce food cravings, supporting weight reduction alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, rather than functioning as a treatment on its own.
Who the tablet is actually approved for
The MHRA's approval covers adults with a Body Mass Index of 30 or above, classed as having obesity, or adults with a BMI between 27 and 30 who also have at least one weight-related health condition. This is a clinical eligibility threshold set by the regulator, not a general weight-loss product available to anyone who wants to lose weight.
As with all GLP-1 receptor agonists, the tablet is a prescription-only medicine, meaning it can only be obtained following an assessment by a doctor or an appropriately qualified prescriber, rather than being available to buy directly.
How the dose is structured
According to the MHRA, the starting dose is 1.5mg taken once daily, increasing in stages to 4mg, then 9mg, and eventually up to 25mg, with a minimum of one month at each dose level before increasing further. This staged approach is standard practice for GLP-1 medicines and is intended to help the body adjust gradually.
The tablet needs to be taken whole, on an empty stomach, after fasting for at least eight hours, with only a small sip of water, and no food or drink should follow for at least thirty minutes, since eating or drinking sooner reduces how much of the medicine is absorbed. Anyone prescribed this medicine should follow the specific instructions given by their own prescriber and the patient information leaflet rather than general guidance, since individual circumstances vary.
Is it available on the NHS
Despite the MHRA's approval, the tablet is not currently available through the NHS. Regulatory approval by the MHRA confirms a medicine is safe and effective enough to be prescribed in the UK at all, but it is a separate step from the NHS actually deciding to fund and offer that medicine to patients.
That separate step involves an evaluation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which assesses whether a treatment represents good value for the NHS before it can be routinely offered. Until that evaluation is complete, anyone wanting to access this specific tablet in the UK would need to do so through a private prescription, at their own cost, rather than through the NHS.
What this means if you already pay privately for an injection
Some people in the UK are already using semaglutide privately in its injectable form, commonly a 2.4mg dose given once a week, having sought this treatment and paid for it outside the NHS. According to the MHRA's announcement, patients already being treated privately with the 2.4mg weekly injection can be transitioned directly onto the 25mg tablet, the highest dose in the tablet's staged schedule.
This is a decision for a prescriber to make with an individual patient, taking into account their specific treatment history, rather than something to arrange independently, but it does mean the tablet form is intended to sit alongside the existing injectable option for continuity of treatment, not simply as an entirely separate product line.
Side effects and how to report a problem
The MHRA states that the most commonly reported side effects of the medicine are gastrointestinal, including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting. As with any prescription medicine, the regulator keeps the safety and effectiveness of semaglutide under ongoing review as more people use it.
Anyone who suspects they are experiencing a side effect from this medicine is encouraged to speak to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse, and can also report it directly to the MHRA through the Yellow Card scheme, either via the Yellow Card website or the Yellow Card app, available for both major mobile platforms. This reporting system exists specifically to help the regulator monitor medicines once they are in wider use, beyond the clinical trials that supported the original approval.
What to actually check before considering this as a private patient
Because the tablet is only available privately for now, anyone considering it should expect this to be at their own cost, in the same way the injectable version has been for private patients until now, and should treat any specific pricing information from a private provider as commercial information to compare, not as an NHS-set cost.
Confirming that a private prescriber or pharmacy is operating through a properly regulated route, and that any assessment of BMI and suitability is genuinely being carried out by a qualified prescriber rather than through a minimal online form, is a reasonable precaution given how quickly demand for GLP-1 medicines has grown and how many services now offer to arrange a prescription.
What happens next
The next formal step for this specific medicine is a NICE evaluation, which typically takes time and considers clinical evidence alongside cost effectiveness before making a recommendation on NHS use. There is no fixed public timetable for when that evaluation will conclude for this particular tablet as of this article's review date.
Checking gov.uk and NICE directly for updates, rather than relying on secondary reporting, remains the most reliable way to track whether and when this specific tablet moves from a private-only medicine to one potentially available through the NHS.
| Note: NHS availability, NICE evaluation timelines and private pricing for this medicine may change as the process progresses. Check gov.uk and NICE directly for the current position before making any decision. |
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| Disclaimer: Kael Tripton Ltd is an independent editorial publisher, ICO-registered (ZC135439). This article is general consumer information about a regulatory decision and its cost and NHS access implications, not medical, health or financial advice, and carries no commission or referral arrangement with any pharmaceutical company or pharmacy. Prescribing decisions are a matter between a patient and their doctor. Details may change as NHS evaluation and pricing decisions progress; verify current information with the primary sources listed below. |
Frequently asked questions
Is the new weight loss tablet available on the NHS?
Not currently. It has been approved as safe and effective by the MHRA, but a separate evaluation by NICE is needed before the NHS can consider funding it.
Who is the tablet approved for?
Adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 to 30 with at least one weight-related health condition, alongside diet and exercise, as prescribed by a doctor.
Can I switch from the injection to the tablet?
The MHRA's announcement states patients already on the 2.4mg weekly injection privately can be transitioned to the 25mg tablet, but this is a decision made with your own prescriber.
What should I do if I have a side effect?
Speak to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse, and you can also report it directly to the MHRA through the Yellow Card scheme.
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