Wegovy weight loss pill will now be available in UK - there are still side effects to be aware of
Topics: Food and Drink, Health, UK News
Greg Harris
Featured Image Credit: Novo Nordisk
Topics: Food and Drink, Health, UK News
A weight loss pill made by Wegovy has been approved for private use in the UK however it does come with side-effects.
The GLP-1 pill is designed for obese adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, including individuals with related conditions, such as high blood pressure.
The pill will be taken daily and the starting dose is 1.5mg, rising to 4mg, 9mg, and 25mg. Patients will need to be on each dose level for one month before they’re able to get a higher dose.
However patients who currently take a 2.4mg Wegovy injection once a week can start taking the 25mg tablets once a day, according to the Medicines and healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
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The tablet should be swallowed whole with a small amount of water on an empty stomach, following a fasting period of at least eight hours. No food or drink should be consumed for 30 minutes after taking the tablet.
As with all medications, side effects may occur. The most commonly reported side effects include nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, and vomiting.
The agency approved the drug based on data from a trial in which adults were given 25mg per day which they took in addition to diet and exercise.
Patients lost an average of 17% of their body weight after 64 weeks, compared with 3% of people taking a placebo drug.
It is the first GLP-1 weight-loss pill to be approved in the UK.
Responding to questions from Tyla about the medication's side-effects, a spokesperson referred to the study where the most frequently reported side effects in the study were gastrointestinal, with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea affecting 74.0% of participants taking oral semaglutide, compared with 42.2% of those receiving a placebo.
Researchers said these side effects were typically mild to moderate and temporary. Around 7% (6.9%) of participants taking oral semaglutide stopped treatment because of adverse events, a rate broadly in line with previous trials of injectable semaglutide.
"This marks an important milestone for obesity care in the UK," said Sebnem Avsar Tuna, general manager at Novo Nordisk.
“For the first time, people living with obesity have access to a GLP-1 treatment in a daily pill, allowing them the choice and flexibility of oral treatment to support their long-term weight management.”
While the pill will be made available privately in a matter of weeks, it has not yet been assessed for use on the NHS.
