Introduction
As of June 11th 2026, Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy tablet (the first GLP-1 agonist tablet) is approved for UK patients. Here’s everything you should know now, and how to access the tablets.
What is it?
Wegovy is the brand name for semaglutide: a peptide, mimicking a hormone your body naturally produces to make you feel full by interacting with Glucagon Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptors. This feedbacks to your brain, suppressing your appetite.
Up until now, GLP-1 agonists (such as Wegovy) have only been available as an injection for UK patients. Introducing them in tablet form, increases the ease of use, allowing more patients to benefit from the medication.
If you're weighing up Wegovy against other weight loss medications, our Wegovy vs Mounjaro article breaks down how the two compare.
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Dosing schedule
Wegovy tablets need to be taken every morning, with a few crucial details to allow the medication to help you to its full extent. Take the tablet first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with a few sips of water, then wait 30 minutes before eating, drinking, or taking any other medication. This is important for the drug to be absorbed properly.
Like with all GLP-1 agonists, the dose of Wegovy tablets must be gradually increased to let your body get used to the medication. That being said, how frequently the dosage is increased, is done on your own terms.
Here’s a typical dosing schedule for the Wegovy tablet:
Month 1: 1.5 mg a day
Month 2: 4 mg a day
Month 3: 9 mg a day
Month 4 onwards: 25 mg a day (the maintenance dose)
Unlike the injectable version, the Wegovy tablet doesn't need to be refrigerated. It can sit in your bathroom cabinet like any other daily medication.
Efficacy
Very effective, and not significantly different from Wegovy injections. In the OASIS 4 trial, people taking Wegovy tablets lost an average of 13.6% of their body weight over 64 weeks. For someone weighing 90kg, that is around 12kg. Compare that to Wegovy injections, where the STEP 1 trial showed average weight loss to stand at 14.9% over 68 weeks. The two forms are close enough that the decision is better made on lifestyle fit than on the headline number.
Remember, averages do not tell the whole story. Your own response depends on your starting point, your history with GLP-1 medication, and the habits you build alongside treatment.
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Side Effects
Just as with any other medication, Wegovy tablets come with some side effects. Most side effects are mild, most appear early, and most soften as your body adjusts. The tablet tends to affect the gastrointestinal system more than the injection.
Contact your Emerald clinician if side effects stop you eating or drinking, or if you develop severe or persistent abdominal pain.
Are Wegovy tablets right for you?
All the treatments Emerald offers work. The question is which one you can live with day to day.
What works well:
No needles and no injection technique to learn
Stored at room temperature, so travel is simple
Easy to stop quickly if you do not tolerate it
Discreet: it looks like any other daily tablet
What to weigh up:
Requires a strict fasted morning routine
Daily adherence rather than a single weekly action
The 30 minute wait can be inconvenient
More gastrointestinal side effects reported than with the injection
This may suit you if:
Needles are a genuine barrier for you
You travel often and fridge storage is impractical
You already have a settled morning routine you can build around
You want to try a GLP-1 with an easy exit
How it compares
Emerald offers three treatments. They differ in how you take them, how often, and how much weight people lose on average.
A Emerald clinician will confirm which options are safe and suitable for you before anything is prescribed.
What arrives, and what happens next
Once your assessment is reviewed and your treatment approved, your first delivery arrives in plain packaging with nothing on the outside that names the medication.
Your first delivery includes:
Your Wegovy tablets, a full month's supply
Plan information leaflet with your dose schedule
Morning routine card, so the fasted window is easy to keep
Direct line to your clinical team
From there, an Emerald clinician reviews you at each dose step rather than only at the start. You log your weight and doses in the Emerald app, and you can message the clinical team whenever something does not feel right.
Conclusion
The approval of Wegovy tablets changes how accessible this medication is. If you have been avoiding weight loss medication because of the injection, the tablet is a much less invasive way in, and it delivers results closely comparable to the injection.
Whichever form you choose, the medication is only part of it. Emerald pairs treatment with clinical review and habit work, because appetite generally returns to its previous pattern once treatment stops.
If you are not sure which is right for you, start the assessment and let a clinician confirm which options are safe and suitable.
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