UK — The once-a-day Wegovy weight-loss pill has become commercially available at high street and online pharmacies across the UK. Thousands of people began receiving their first deliveries on Monday following the pill's approval by the UK's medicines regulator on June 11.

The Wegovy pill, manufactured by Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk, contains semaglutide. This is the same active GLP-1 ingredient found in the Wegovy injection. Studies of the pill indicate it is similarly effective to the injected form.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency cleared the Wegovy pill earlier this month for private prescription to overweight or obese individuals, subject to a medical consultation. The pill is advised to be used alongside a healthy diet and exercise. It is not currently available on the NHS.

The Wegovy pill is available to individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 and above, or a BMI between 27-30 if they have certain weight-related health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. In clinical trials, people taking the 25mg daily Wegovy pill lost between 14% and 17% of their body weight over 64 weeks, depending on adherence.

The starting dose for the Wegovy pill is a 1.5mg tablet taken once daily for one month. The recommended maximum dose is 25mg once a day. Individuals currently receiving private treatment with a 2.4mg semaglutide injection can switch to daily 25mg semaglutide tablets under medical supervision.

The Wegovy pill costs £2.30 a day through some multi-month treatment plans, according to an online pharmacy. Prices range from £69 for a month's supply of the 1.5mg starting dose in a three-month bundle, up to £189 for the highest 25mg dose. Some pharmacies are pricing the lowest dose (1.5mg) at £99 for a month's supply and the highest dose (25mg) at £199 for a 30-day supply.

Abdal Alvi, chief clinical officer at Simple Online Pharmacy, stated that the Wegovy pill is a major development because it gives patients another way to access semaglutide without self-injecting. He cautioned that the pill is not a tablet that can be taken casually. "But it is not a tablet you can simply take with breakfast or your morning coffee," Alvi said. "The way it is taken has a direct impact on how well the medication is absorbed, so patients need to understand the routine from day one."

To ensure proper absorption, the Wegovy pill must be taken with a sip of water on an empty stomach after fasting for at least eight hours. Patients must also wait at least half an hour after taking the pill before eating, drinking, or taking other medication. Tens of thousands of people had signed up to the waiting list for an initial consultation at the online pharmacy Juniper UK before the pill's launch.

The most common side effects associated with Wegovy pills are gastrointestinal disorders, including nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency advised that anyone experiencing side effects should consult their doctor, pharmacist, or nurse and report the effects directly to the Yellow Card scheme.