How the Wegovy pill compares to weight-loss injections
Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved a new tablet version of the weight-loss drug Wegovy. This daily pill offers an alternative to the traditional weekly injections for patients managing obesity or weight-related health conditions.
Why it matters
The introduction of an oral GLP-1 medication could significantly increase patient compliance and accessibility for weight management treatments.
Will swallowing Wegovy in pill form rather than as an injection make weight loss easier, cheaper or safer? ( Reuters: Hollie Adams )
Link copied Share Share article A new tablet version of Wegovy , a peptide used to help people lose weight, has been approved for the first time in Australia.
Until now, the best-known medicines in this group ( semaglutide , sold as Wegovy or Ozempic, and tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro), have generally required weekly injections. The new daily tablet offers another option for people who would prefer not to (or can't) inject themselves.
But how does it work? And will swallowing a pill make weight loss easier, cheaper or safer?
Wegovy contains semaglutide, a medicine that copies the action of a naturally occurring hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). This hormone helps regulate blood sugar, appetite and digestion.
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