Wegovy injection vs Wegovy tablets: the differences explained
Wegovy injection and Wegovy tablets both contain semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist made by Novo Nordisk, and both are licensed in the UK for weight management in adults. The injection is given once a week from a pre-filled pen; the tablet is taken by mouth once a day on an empty stomach. The MHRA approved the tablets on 11 June 2026, in strengths of 1.5 mg, 4 mg, 9 mg and 25 mg.
Side by side at a glance
| Fact | Wegovy injection | Wegovy tablets |
|---|---|---|
| Active substance | Semaglutide | Semaglutide |
| How the SmPC describes it | GLP-1 receptor agonist | GLP-1 receptor agonist |
| Maker | Novo Nordisk | Novo Nordisk |
| How it is taken | An injection under the skin once a week, at any time of day, with or without meals, in the abdomen, thigh or upper arm. | One tablet by mouth once a day, on an empty stomach after fasting for at least 8 hours, swallowed whole with a sip of water. The SmPC says to wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other oral medicines. |
| Pen or tablet | FlexTouch pre-filled pen holding 4 doses, for 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg. The 7.2 mg strength is a single-dose pre-filled pen. | Tablet, in aluminium blister packs |
| UK strengths | 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, 2.4 mg and 7.2 mg | 1.5 mg, 4 mg, 9 mg and 25 mg |
| What the UK licence covers | Weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 kg/m² or more, or 27 to under 30 kg/m² with at least one weight-related comorbidity, and in adolescents aged 12 and over with obesity and a body weight above 60 kg. Also licensed to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and a BMI of 27 kg/m² or more, and for MASH, a form of liver disease. The 7.2 mg dose is for weight management in adults with obesity. | Weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 kg/m² or more, or 27 to under 30 kg/m² with at least one weight-related comorbidity. Approved by the MHRA on 11 June 2026. |
| NICE and the NHS | NICE TA875: weight management within a specialist weight management service, for a maximum of 2 years. NICE TA1152: reducing cardiovascular risk. NICE is appraising the 7.2 mg dose. | No NICE technology appraisal. At approval the MHRA said the tablet "is not available currently via the NHS". |
| In the pack | FlexTouch: 1 pen and 4 NovoFine Plus needles. 7.2 mg: 4 single-dose pens, each with its needle attached. | Blister packs of 10, 30 or 90 tablets (not all pack sizes may be marketed). |
The same substance, taken two ways
Both forms contain semaglutide, which their SmPCs describe as a GLP-1 analogue that "acts as a GLP-1 receptor agonist". Wegovy injection is given under the skin once a week, at any time of day, with or without meals. Wegovy tablets are taken by mouth once a day.
The tablet SmPC sets out how the tablet is taken. It "should be taken on an empty stomach after a recommended fasting period of at least 8 hours" and swallowed whole "with a sip of water (up to half a glass of water equivalent to 120 mL)". Patients "should wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other oral medicinal products", and the tablets should not be split, crushed or chewed.
What each UK licence covers
The tablet is licensed for weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, in adults with an initial BMI of 30 kg/m² or more, or of 27 to under 30 kg/m² with at least one weight-related comorbidity. The injection has the same adult weight management indication.
The injection's licence also covers adolescents aged 12 and over with obesity and a body weight above 60 kg, reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with established cardiovascular disease and a BMI of 27 kg/m² or more, and treating MASH, a form of liver disease, with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis. The tablet SmPC says the safety and efficacy of oral semaglutide in children and adolescents under 18 "have not been established".
Strengths
Wegovy tablets come in 1.5 mg, 4 mg, 9 mg and 25 mg. The SmPC describes a starting strength followed by steps up to 25 mg, with at least a month at each level, and says the medicine "should always be used as only one tablet per day".
Wegovy injection comes in FlexTouch pens of 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg, and a 7.2 mg single-dose pen for weight management in adults with obesity. Both SmPCs include a section on switching between the two forms, and say the effect of switching "cannot easily be predicted because oral semaglutide displays higher pharmacokinetic variability in absorption compared to semaglutide injection". Any switch is a decision for the prescriber.
Packs and storage
Wegovy tablets come in aluminium blister packs of 10, 30 or 90 tablets, and the SmPC notes that not all pack sizes may be marketed. The tablets are kept in the original blister package to protect them from moisture and light, and the SmPC says they do not require any special temperature storage conditions.
Each Wegovy FlexTouch pack holds one pen and 4 NovoFine Plus needles, and the pens are stored in a fridge at 2°C to 8°C before first use. The 7.2 mg single-dose pens come in packs of 4.
NHS access
When the MHRA approved the tablets on 11 June 2026, it said: "Whilst this tablet is approved for use in the UK, it is not available currently via the NHS." It added that decisions on NHS use would follow established processes, including an evaluation by NICE. NICE has published no technology appraisal for Wegovy tablets, and it lists an earlier appraisal of oral semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity (ID6188) as discontinued after the company said it would not provide an evidence submission.
Wegovy injection is available on the NHS for weight management under NICE TA875, within a specialist weight management service for a maximum of 2 years, and for reducing cardiovascular risk under TA1152.
Where to see prices
Prices sit on the Dose Club price tables, never on comparison pages. Pick a medicine's table or a single dose.
Wegovy prices by dose
The complete monthly cost at GPhC registered UK pharmacies, with consultation and delivery fees included.
- Open the full Wegovy tableWegovy tablets
The Dose Club lists no prices for Wegovy tablets. The Wegovy tablets tab says what is tracked so far.
Questions and answers
Are Wegovy tablets licensed in the UK?
Yes. The MHRA approved Wegovy tablets on 11 June 2026 for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 kg/m² or more, or 27 to under 30 kg/m² with at least one weight-related comorbidity, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. They are prescription only.
How are Wegovy tablets taken?
The SmPC says one tablet is taken by mouth once a day, on an empty stomach after fasting for at least 8 hours, swallowed whole with a sip of water of up to 120 mL. It says to wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other oral medicines.
The patient information leaflet in the pack has the full instructions.
Are Wegovy tablets available on the NHS?
When it approved the tablets in June 2026, the MHRA said they are "not available currently via the NHS" and that decisions on NHS use would follow established processes, including an evaluation by NICE. NICE has published no technology appraisal for them.
Do Wegovy tablets and Wegovy injection contain the same medicine?
Yes. Both contain semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk. They differ in how they are taken, in their strengths and in their licences: the injection is weekly and the tablet daily, and the injection is licensed for more uses.
Does The Dose Club list Wegovy tablet prices?
Not at the moment. The Wegovy tablets tab on the prices page shows no prices until enough GPhC registered providers list the tablets and their prices have been checked. The Wegovy price table covers the injection.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages on .
- Wegovy 25 mg tablets, summary of product characteristics (emc)
- Wegovy 1.5 mg tablets, summary of product characteristics (emc)
- Wegovy FlexTouch pens, summary of product characteristics (emc)
- Wegovy 7.2 mg single-dose pen, summary of product characteristics (emc)
- MHRA, First GLP-1 tablet for weight loss approved in the UK (11 June 2026)
- NICE, Oral semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity (ID6188, discontinued)
- NICE, Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity (TA875)
- NICE, Semaglutide for reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in people with cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity (TA1152)