‘Cheaper’ Wegovy pill set for approval

A mom in America who couldn't afford GLP-1 injections has started the new "cheaper" Wegovy pill that's currently awaiting approval in the UK - and says she has no side effects.

Sharon Vickers, 46, struggled with her weight all her life and at her heaviest, she weighed 263lbs, which led her to undergo gastric sleeve surgery in January 2025.

After the surgery, Sharon lost 73lbs but said her progress “stalled,” leaving her frustrated and struggling to lose more.

In September 2025, she considered GLP-1 injections but found them “too expensive” at $500 a month and wasn’t keen on injecting herself.

She then learned that pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk was bringing out a Wegovy pill and got a prescription from her doctor.

Recently approved in the UAE and widely used in America, the Wegovy pill is an alternative weight-loss medication to the Wegovy injection.

Currently, Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy, are working with the MHRA (Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) to get approval for use in the UK.

The pill is a once-daily oral GLP-1 receptor agonist designed for weight management in adults with obesity or who are overweight.

Novo Nordisk's pill was launched on January 5, 2026 in America, and hit over 26,000 U.S. prescriptions in the second full week, IQVIA data revealed.

Sharon, an enterprise procurement specialist, from Greenville, South Carolina, said: "As soon as I heard Wegovy was coming out with a pill, I saw my doctor, who gave me a prescription on them.

"I went straight to the pharmacy, but they had sold out, so I went back a few days later and managed to get them.

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"At day five of taking the pills, it shut out food noise completely.

"I am not snacking as much as I used to; hours could pass by, and I won't even think of food.

"I have no side effects, I workout every day, and have loads of energy - I have lost 2lbs so far."

The Wegovy pill is set to be one of the most popular weight-loss treatments if approved in the UK because of the easy oral use and it's appeal to people who don't like the idea of daily injections.

Both the Wegovy pen and pill use semaglutide - an ingredient that mimics a hormone found in the gut. It controls hunger signals and helps users lose weight by reducing the appetite.

It's likely that the criteria to be eligible for the Wegovy pill will be similar to the Wegovy pen.

Currently, the government guidelines state that adults "with a weight-related health condition – such as hypertension or cardiovascular disease and a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 35, or, exceptionally, a BMI of 30, if they meet the criteria for specialist weight management services," may be able to qualify for a Wegovy pen prescription on the NHS.

Like the Wegovy pen, its expected that the pill will also to be available privately in the UK if it's approved.

Currently, in America, the Wegovy pill starts at $139 a month (roughly £104). The pen starts at $199 (£149).

Going off this pricing, it's likely that if the pill is approved in the UK, it will be a cheaper option than the pen.

While some sources are claiming approval is set to be confirmed in the UK within the next few days, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson told us they "can not confirm the date of approval at this stage."