Which oral GLP-1 is UK-approved for weight loss?
Oral Wegovy is currently the only UK-approved GLP-1 pill for weight loss. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted its licence in June 2026. It can be prescribed to adults with a BMI of 30 or above. A BMI of 27 to 30 also qualifies if you have a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure. Even if you meet the BMI criteria, your prescriber will still review your medical history and current medicines to make sure it’s safe and suitable for you.
People currently taking the 2.4 mg weekly Wegovy injection can switch straight to the 25 mg tablet. You do not need to build back up from the lowest dose. For anyone tired of weekly injections, that makes moving to a daily tablet straightforward.
Timing matters more with this tablet than with the weekly injection. You take it once a day on an empty stomach, with no more than a small glass (no more than 120mls) of plain water. Then you need to leave at least 30 minutes before you eat, drink, or take other medicines.
The Wegovy pill dose schedule climbs in stages, from 1.5 mg up to a full 25 mg, with a minimum of a month at each step. Most people reach that top dose around the fourth month.
One in three people who stayed on oral Wegovy lost at least a fifth of their body weight in clinical trials. The OASIS 4 trial put the average loss at about 14% over 64 weeks. This compares to roughly 2% on placebo (an inactive pill given for comparison). For many people, weight loss on that scale helps ease problems like high blood pressure or joint pain.
Oral GLP-1 for weight loss mimics the action of a hormone your body produces naturally. After you eat, your gut releases GLP-1. Your brain reads this signal as fullness. GLP-1 also slows the emptying of the stomach, meaning you feel less hungry.
Semaglutide, the active ingredient of both oral and injectable Wegovy, copies GLP-1.
With hunger signals dampened, you eat less and in turn lose weight. For all the biology, what the Wegovy pill is stays simple: a once-daily 25 mg tablet you build up to over four months.
Start Now
What is Foundayo (orforglipron) and when will it be available in the UK?
Foundayo is a different weight loss pill, but it is not yet available in the UK. The US approved Foundayo on 1 April 2026. It comes from Eli Lilly, the company behind Mounjaro.
In its basics, what Foundayo is matches semaglutide: a once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist for weight management. The difference is in its build.
Semaglutide is a peptide, a protein-based molecule that stomach acid and enzymes destroy. It needs an empty stomach to reach your bloodstream, and so has strict fasting rules. Foundayo (orforglipron) is a small molecule, sturdy enough that you can take it with food and skip the fasting routine.
Many people choose tablets for weight loss over weekly weight loss injections because they dislike needles or travel often. You can take Foundayo at any time of day, and this flexibility is the main practical difference. It makes weight loss treatment easier to keep up with around a busy lifestyle.
In the ATTAIN-1 trial, people on the highest dose lost about 11% of their body weight over 72 weeks, against 2% on placebo. That comes in below Wegovy in both forms. But these figures come from separate trials with different patients, doses, and treatment lengths. A true comparison would need the medicines to be tested in the same study.
Foundayo has no UK licence yet. A UK decision could come around the end of 2026 or early 2027, though no date is confirmed.
Under its US licence, Foundayo’s dose climbs in monthly steps from a low starting strength of 0.8mg through to 17.2mg. You swallow each tablet whole. The slow build-up helps reduce both the likelihood and the intensity of side effects, such as nausea, which is common early on with GLP‑1 medicines.
Can I use Rybelsus for weight loss?
No. Rybelsus is a tablet licensed for type 2 diabetes, not weight loss. Prescribed at lower strengths, Rybelsus helps to control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Rybelsus and oral Wegovy both contain semaglutide. Even so, the NHS lists Rybelsus for diabetes only, and we do not prescribe it as a weight loss treatment.
How do oral Wegovy and Foundayo compare?
Oral Wegovy is the one you can start now, and Foundayo is the easier daily routine, but is not yet UK-licensed. Both are once-daily GLP-1 agonists, taken in tablet form rather than as weight-loss injections.
| Oral Wegovy | Foundayo | |
| UK status | MHRA-approved, June 2026 | Not yet UK-licensed |
| Active ingredient | Semaglutide | Orforglipron |
| Dose | 1.5, 4, 9, 25 mg | 0.8, 2.5, 5.5, 9, 14.5, 17.2 mg (US) |
| How you take it | Once daily, on an empty stomach, 30-minute wait | Once daily, any time, with or without food |
| Average weight loss in trials | Around 14% over 64 weeks | Around 11% over 72 weeks |
Real-world results depend on two things: tolerating the side effects and consistent use of the tablet. Although these are the results seen in the trial, real‑life results can vary from person to person. They depend on how well you tolerate the medication and how consistently you take it correctly. To set yourself up for success, focus on improving your diet, making healthy lifestyle changes, and increasing your movement.
For someone who wants to begin today, oral Wegovy is the only real option. For someone who travels often, has hectic mornings and dislikes injections, Foundayo may be worth the wait. Either way, it helps to check whether you are eligible before you decide.
When should I see a doctor?
Most side effects of these GLP-1 medications are mild, but some symptoms need urgent help. The common side effects are nausea, mild vomiting, and changes to your bowel habits, usually easing within the first few weeks of staying at one dose.
If you have any questions about staying on or stepping up your dose, speak to our clinical team.
| Symptom | What it could mean | What to do |
| Mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, or reflux | Usual early effects as your body adjusts | Speak to our clinical team for management advice |
| Vomiting that stops you from keeping fluids down | Risk of dehydration | Contact your GP or call NHS 111 the same day |
| Yellowing of the skin or eyes, or severe pain in the upper-right side of your stomach | A possible gallbladder problem | Contact your GP or call NHS 111 the same day |
| A new lump in your neck, a hoarse voice, or trouble swallowing | A possible thyroid problem | Contact your GP or call NHS 111 the same day |
| Severe stomach pain that spreads to your back | Possible pancreatitis | Stop your medicine and call 999 or go to A&E |
| Sudden loss of vision in one eye | NAION, a rare eye condition | Stop your medicine and call 999 or go to A&E |
| Swelling of the face or throat, or difficulty breathing | A serious allergic reaction | Stop your medicine and call 999 or go to A&E |
| Signs of severe dehydration after heavy vomiting or diarrhoea | Dangerous fluid loss | Call 999 or go to A&E |
Key takeaways
- Oral Wegovy (semaglutide 25 mg) is currently the only UK-licensed oral GLP-1 option for weight loss in the UK. The MHRA approved it on 11 June 2026.
- US regulators have approved Foundayo (orforglipron), though UK patients cannot get it yet. A UK decision is anticipated near the end of 2026 or early 2027.
- The everyday difference: you must take oral Wegovy on an empty stomach, while you can take Foundayo with food, at any time.
- In trials, oral Wegovy reached around 14% weight loss over 64 weeks. Foundayo reached 11% over 72 weeks in a separate study.
- For now, oral Wegovy is the only oral GLP-1 you can actually start in the UK. Checking your eligibility is the next step.
References
First GLP-1 tablet for weight loss approved in the UK, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, 2026 [Accessed 25 June 2026].
Oral Semaglutide at a Dose of 25 mg in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (OASIS 4), New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 [Accessed 25 June 2026].
Orforglipron, an Oral Small-Molecule GLP-1 Receptor Agonist for Obesity Treatment (ATTAIN-1), New England Journal of Medicine, 2025 [Accessed 25 June 2026].
Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (STEP 1), New England Journal of Medicine, 2021 [Accessed 25 June 2026].
FOUNDAYO (orforglipron) tablets: Prescribing Information, US Food and Drug Administration, 2026 [Accessed 25 June 2026].
FDA approves Lilly’s Foundayo (orforglipron), the only GLP-1 pill for weight loss…, Eli Lilly and Company, 2026 [Accessed 25 June 2026].
Wegovy 25 mg tablets: Summary of Product Characteristics, electronic medicines compendium (emc), 2026 [Accessed 25 June 2026].
Semaglutide (Rybelsus), NHS, 2026 [Accessed 25 June 2026].
GLP-1 receptor agonists: strengthened warnings on acute pancreatitis, MHRA Drug Safety Update, 2026 [Accessed 25 June 2026].
Semaglutide: risk of Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION), MHRA Drug Safety Update, 2026 [Accessed 25 June 2026].
Authorship
Authored by Shereen Amin
Pharmacist Independent Prescriber & Medical Writer
GPhC: 2073003
Shereen is a Pharmacist Independent Prescriber and medical writer with over ten years' experience across NHS primary care, digital health and specialist services. She writes evidence-based health content for Simple Online Pharmacy, turning complex clinical information into guidance patients can actually use.
Medically Reviewed by Zahra Qureshi
Senior Pharmacist
GPhC: 2216331
Zahra began her pharmacy career in community pharmacy, building a strong foundation in patient care and medication safety. She joined Simple Online Pharmacy as a locum pharmacist and quickly progressed to a senior role, supporting the pharmacy and operations teams. Zahra is passionate about ensuring patient guidance is safe, clinically sound, and easy to understand, making a positive difference to patients’ lives.
