Wegovy 25mg tablets: what the trial evidence actually shows

What OASIS 4 found, and how to read the two headline figures

The phase 3 trial that underpinned the MHRA's approval enrolled 307 adults living with obesity or overweight and at least one weight-related condition, without type 2 diabetes. Over 64 weeks, alongside lifestyle changes, participants taking oral semaglutide 25mg lost an average of 13.6% of their body weight versus 2.4% on placebo. Among those who remained fully adherent throughout, the figure rose to roughly 17%.

That distinction matters. The 13.6% figure is the one that reflects real-world variation in how people take a daily tablet over more than a year. The 17% figure describes what the medicine can do when taken exactly as directed, useful context, but it should always be framed that way. Both figures come from the OASIS 4 data cited in the MHRA's Wegovy approval announcements on GOV.UK. Side effects were mostly gastrointestinal: around 74% of oral semaglutide participants reported them, compared with 42% on placebo, and they were generally mild-to-moderate and tended to settle.

One misconception worth clearing up gently: some people assume a higher-milligram number means a stronger or more concentrated dose than the injection, and if you want to understand exactly how Wegovy tablets differ from the injection in terms of delivery and dosing, that page explains the distinction clearly. The 25mg tablet and the 2.4mg injection are not on the same scale, different molecule delivery routes require very different amounts to achieve a comparable effect in the body. The number on the box tells you nothing about potency relative to a pen.

For a full picture of the oral semaglutide evidence and how it sits alongside the injection, our overview of Wegovy oral tablets goes through both formats in detail.

The 25mg dose in the escalation schedule

25mg is not where treatment begins. The licensed schedule runs 1.5mg, then 4mg, then 9mg, and finally 25mg, with a minimum of one month at each step before the prescriber considers moving up. That pacing exists because GI side effects are most common early in treatment and at dose increases; a gradual ascent gives the body time to adjust.

Patients who are already established on the 2.4mg weekly injection may be able to move directly to the 25mg tablet, subject to a clinical assessment. The tablet is taken first thing in the morning, on a completely empty stomach, with a small amount of plain water, up to around 120ml. The 30-minute wait before eating, drinking anything else (including coffee) or taking other oral medicines is not optional; the absorption enhancer only works in the right gastric conditions. Swallow the tablet whole.

No fridge is required, which removes one of the practical friction points of the injection. For people who travel frequently or who simply find a daily tablet easier to fit around their routine than a weekly injection, that matters. Details on storage windows and exactly how to take the tablet are set out in the Patient Information Leaflet, the Wegovy pill page also covers the practical day-to-day questions our prescribers hear most often.

Who the licence covers and how access works in the UK right now

The MHRA approved Wegovy tablets for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 to 29.9 alongside at least one weight-related condition, used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Lower BMI thresholds apply for some ethnic backgrounds under UK guidance, your prescriber will apply the correct threshold at assessment.

NHS access is not currently available. Wegovy tablets were approved in June 2026 and a NICE technology appraisal would need to conclude before NHS commissioning could follow. That process takes time. In the meantime, a private prescription through a regulated pharmacy is the only route. The story of the UK approval covers the regulatory timeline if you want the background. On the cost side, guidance on where to buy Wegovy tablets in the UK sets out what to expect from legitimate private providers and what a clinically supervised prescription actually covers. You can also read more about Wegovy weight-loss tablets generally to compare the tablet and injection options before deciding.

These are prescription-only medicines. The prescriber (not an algorithm) reads your consultation and decides whether treatment is appropriate. If you would like to explore whether Wegovy tablets might suit you, speaking to our prescribers through a free consultation is the straightforward next step.