Wegovy pills (semaglutide tablets) are an oral weight loss treatment designed to help reduce your appetite and support gradual, sustained weight loss. They’re intended for adults who are overweight or living with obesity and are used alongside diet, physical activity, and medical supervision.
The active ingredient in Wegovy tablets is semaglutide, a medicine that helps regulate appetite and food intake. This means it’s the same as the active ingredient as in Wegovy injections and works in the same way. Semaglutide belongs to a class of medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which mimic a natural hormone involved in hunger and digestion.
Wegovy tablets and injections both contain semaglutide and work in the same way to reduce your appetite and support your weight loss goals. The main differences are how they are taken, how the body absorbs them, and the amount of weight loss typically seen in clinical studies.
Start by completing a quick online consultation. This helps our clinicians understand your health and decide whether treatment is safe and suitable for you. As part of this, you’ll be asked to submit photos to confirm your identity and your weight. These will only ever be viewed by your clinician.
After your consultation, one of our clinicians will carefully assess whether treatment is right for you. If approved, they’ll issue a prescription. We will send your prescription to our partner pharmacy. They will support with a Courier collection of your medication. Alternatively, you can choose to collect your treatment in person or have your prescription sent to a Pharmacy of your choice
Your journey doesn’t stop with your delivery. Our clinicians are here to support you every step of the way. You can check in anytime through your account for advice, and we’ll review your progress regularly to help you stay on track and achieve lasting results.
Wegovy pills (semaglutide tablets) are an oral weight loss treatment designed to help reduce your appetite and support gradual, sustained weight loss.
They’re intended for adults who are overweight or living with obesity and are used alongside diet, physical activity, and medical supervision.
The active ingredient in Wegovy tablets is semaglutide, a medicine that helps regulate appetite and food intake. This means it’s the same as the active ingredient as in Wegovy injections and works in the same way.
Semaglutide belongs to a class of medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which mimic a natural hormone involved in hunger and digestion.
Wegovy tablets and injections both contain semaglutide and work in the same way to reduce your appetite and support your weight loss goals. The main differences are how they are taken, how the body absorbs them, and the amount of weight loss typically seen in clinical studies.
Both forms aim to support long-term weight management. If approved in Ireland, the introduction of tablets will simply give you more flexibility in how you approach your weight loss journey. While injections can offer greater weight loss at higher doses, tablets may offer a more convenient alternative for some people, while still producing significant results.
Wegovy tablets are taken once a day, usually on an empty stomach, while Wegovy injections are taken once a week. Both require consistency to maintain stable levels of the medication in the body. This means taking your treatment at the same time every week and not skipping doses unless recommended by your clinician.
Tablets and injections differ mainly in convenience, dosing frequency, and how reliably the medication is absorbed. Tablets are taken daily, not weekly like injections, and may suit you better if you don’t want to inject your treatment.
Both treatments follow a structured dosing schedule that’s gradually increased over time. For example, doses of Wegovy injections begin at 0.25mg and progresses through 0.5mg, 1mg, and 1.7mg before reaching the 2.4mg or 7.2mg maintenance doses.
Wegovy tablets follow a different dosing path. During clinical trials in the US, Wegovy tablets started at 1.5mg, before increasing to 4mg, 9mg and, eventually, 25mg (where appropriate).
Whether you’re on tablets or injecting at home, you still have to be on your current dose for at least 4 weeks before increasing the strength of your treatment. This is so your body can adjust to the medication, helping to reduce the risk of Wegovy side effects.
Clinical studies suggest that Wegovy injections can lead to average weight loss of around 21% of body weight over time. Wegovy tablets, meanwhile, have been shown to produce average weight loss of 14% during clinical trials in the US.
While weight loss on Wegovy tablets is typically more gradual and may be lower on average than with injections, clinical studies still showed meaningful results when during clinical trials when combined with lifestyle changes.
How much people actually lost on Wegovy tablets depended on their diet, level of physical activity, and how consistently they stuck to the treatment.
Semaglutide tablets are not suitable for everyone, and certain medical conditions or risk factors may mean the treatment should not be used. A clinician will assess this carefully before prescribing.
In the US, the manufacturer Novo Nordisk recommends that you should not take semaglutide tablets if you:
Similarly, the manufacturer states that Wegovy pills may also not be appropriate, or may require closer monitoring, if you:
Wegovy tablets are available in multiple doses that are introduced gradually over time. Treatment usually starts at a low dose and increases step by step to improve tolerability and reduce the risk of side effects.
In the US, the available doses of semaglutide tablets are:
It is currently not known how much Wegovy tablets will cost if they’re approved for use in Ireland.
The manufacturer recommends that Wegovy tablets should be taken once a day, on an empty stomach, ideally first thing in the morning after you wake up. They should be taken with a small amount of water, with no food or drink for at least 30 minutes afterwards to ensure proper absorption.
If you miss a dose, Novo Nordisk stats you should skip it and take your next tablet at the usual time the following day. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Can you switch between injections and tablets
Switching between Wegovy tablets and injections may be possible if the pills are approved, but it should only be done under clinical guidance. A clinician will advise on timing and dosing to ensure treatment remains safe and effective.
Yes. Like all prescription medicines, semaglutide tablets can cause side effects, most commonly affecting the digestive system, particularly during the early stages of treatment or after a dose increase.
Since the treatments use the same active ingredient, Wegovy tablets and injections share many of the same common side effects, including:
No. Wegovy tablets and Rybelsus are not the same, although they both contain the active ingredient, semaglutide.
Rybelsus is licensed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy tablets are specifically developed for weight management. This means they have different approved uses, maximum doses, and eligibility criteria.
“If approved for use in Ireland, Wegovy tablets can offer an alternative weight loss journey, especially if home injections don’t appeal to you. They work in the same way as Wegovy injections, using semaglutide to reduce your appetite and help you feel fuller for longer, and achieve the best results when combined with positive lifestyle changes.”
Ayesha Bashir, weight loss expert at myBMI
We're committed to your safety and wellbeing
myBMI works with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered business Kompas Health Ltd, who employ both GMC and IMC registered doctors. This ensures that the services provided meet essential standards of quality, safety and patient care. The CQC regularly inspects healthcare providers across the UK, assessing whether they are delivering care that is safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Their role is to monitor, inspect and regulate services to ensure that patients receive the best possible care.
