People thinking of switching to the new Wegovy weight loss pill have been issued some guidance. You can now get the Wegovy GLP-1 treatment in pill form in the UK, after it was previously available just as an injection.
You can purchase the pills privately from pharmacies or through online vendors, while the new pill has yet to be made available on the NHS. The new tablets have the same active ingredient as the Wegovy weight loss injections, namely semaglutide. This has the effect of reducing your appetite and slowing digestion, helping you keep your food intake down to lose weight.
The Wegovy pill has become the first of its kind to be given the green light by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). It has yet to become available on the NHS. One group which is providing the new medication is treatment provider CheqUp, Aaron Arman, superintendent pharmacist with the group, has shared some tips around the new treatment option.
If you are heading away on holiday soon, there is a key advantage with the Wegovy pill. Mr Arman said: “Unlike injectable GLP-1 treatments, the Wegovy pill is stored at room temperature. No cold chain, no packing ice for travel, no worrying about keeping it refrigerated on holiday.
“For people who travel frequently, this can be a meaningful quality-of-life difference.” A recent survey by CheqUp of 1,000 people using the injectable weight-loss medications found that 50 per cent have had to change, delay or even cancel a trip because of concerns about managing their injections or any side effects while they are away.
Not having to travel with pens, needles and cooling packs could make life a lot easier for people heading off on their summer holidays.
Lisa Tookey, chief executive officer at CheqUp, said: “For a lot of people, the hardest part of weight loss medication is not just taking it but managing everything around it: the questions, the judgement and the logistics.
View 2 ImagesYou can now get Wegovy weight loss medication in pill form(Image: Getty)
“That is a feeling that becomes increasingly visible for some users when they travel. Our research shows injectable GLP-1s have already changed holiday behaviour, with people thinking about airport security, fridge access, side effects, travel insurance and what happens if they need support abroad. That is why daily weight-loss medication is such an important development.”
She said having tablets can make the process a lot easier to administer the medication. Ms Tookey said: “Pills can make treatment feel more private, more portable and easier to manage while travelling.
“They will not remove the need for proper clinical advice, but they could reduce some of the practical and emotional friction that currently comes with injections.”