Who is eligible for £5-a-day weight loss pills as they launch in UK
If you’ve been thinking about being in with a chance of getting to take brand new weight loss pills for a few quid, then you might want to find out your eligibility.
After healthcare company Novo Nordisk announced that it was creating a waiting list for semaglutide tablets that’ll allow people to shed pounds in the UK without having to inject themselves, people were curious.
Today (11 June), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the Wegovy tablet for prescriptions, meaning its impact will soon be able to be seen up close.
As the UK’s first oral GLP-1, it has people all over the country hopping on the waitlist in hopes of meeting the criteria to have it prescribed.
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In fact, the company claims that over 55,000 people are already on Simple Online Healthcare's waitlist, with a prediction that it ‘could bring more than 100,000 new patients into obesity treatment within months of launch,’ per a press release.
Who is eligible for the Wegovy tablets?
Alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, the Wegovy tablet may now be prescribed to adults in the UK with obesity, who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or above, or who are overweight with a BMI between 27 and 30 and at least one weight-related comorbidity.
The starting dose will be 1.5 mg daily, increasing monthly up to 25 mg.
How much will the Weogvy tablets cost?
As for the costs, when it's sold privately in the US, it costs around $139 (£104) per month, or about £5 a day, compared with approximately $199 (£149) for injectable versions.
Are there any side effects of the Wegovy tablets?
The most common side effects of the medicine are gastrointestinal disorders including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting.
As with any medicine, the MHRA keeps the safety and effectiveness of semaglutide under close review.
Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief of the Independent Pharmacies Association, told The Sun that many people think the tablet would be a safer alternative than the jabs.
"We are seeing a lot of demand and interest for the pill," she said. "Many patients are waiting for it because they feel it is easier and more motivating than injecting."
Abdal Alvi, Chief Clinical Officer at Simple Online Healthcare, added: "We welcome the MHRA’s approval of the Wegovy pill. For many people, a tablet may feel more familiar and less daunting than an injection, and oral GLP-1s have the potential to widen access to effective obesity treatment."
But he warned: "It is important that patients understand these are still powerful prescription medicines. They need to be used correctly, under appropriate clinical supervision, and alongside lifestyle change and ongoing support.”
He explained that while a tablet may appear like a simpler solution, ‘patients should be aware that the tablets work under specific conditions’, and even ‘small changes in how it is taken will considerably affect how well the medication works.’
Whilst this tablet is approved for use in the UK, it is not currently available via the NHS. As with all new treatments, decisions on NHS use will follow established processes, including an evaluation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Britt Jones