Weight-loss pills containing semaglutide, the same active ingredient as the popular Wegovy injections, will be available to buy through online pharmacies in the UK within weeks after receiving regulatory approval. The tablets, manufactured by Novo Nordisk, are expected to be sold by retailers including Superdrug and Boots, though the exact launch date and price have yet to be announced.
The pills are predicted to attract new users who are put off by injections, with needle phobia cited as a significant barrier. In the US, 70 to 80 per cent of people who started taking Wegovy tablets this year had not previously used weight-loss injections, according to Dr Mitra Dutt, a GP with LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor. “That speaks volumes,” she said.
Some speculate that the pills could be cheaper than weekly jabs, which cost between £100 and £300 per month, because they avoid the cost of injection pens. However, Rachel Joy, chief clinical officer of online pharmacy SheMed, urged caution: “We’ll have to wait and see.” Novo Nordisk is expected to announce the list price within weeks.
Users must follow strict instructions on how to take the tablets, or they may not work effectively. The medicines mimic hormones released after eating that reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness. While Wegovy and Mounjaro have been approved in the UK, NHS access remains tightly restricted, leading most users to purchase them via online pharmacies. An estimated 1.6 million people currently access weekly jabs this way, a University College London study found.
