The latest Wegovy updates: new doses, new approvals, what they mean for you

Step 1: the 7.2mg dose arrives (January–April 2026)

Until early 2026, the standard Wegovy maintenance dose was 2.4mg once weekly. That changed in January 2026 when the MHRA approved semaglutide 2.4mg at a higher cumulative weekly dose, initially supplied as three separate 2.4mg pens per week. It was an interim solution, and a more practical one followed quickly. On 14 April 2026 the MHRA approved a dedicated single-dose 7.2mg Wegovy pen: one pre-set weekly injection, a built-in covered needle, and an auto-locking mechanism after use. The pen is licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above only; the cardiovascular indication uses a separate licensing pathway. The starting dose remains 0.25mg, titrated every four weeks or so by the prescriber; 7.2mg is the ceiling. If you want to understand how the injection schedule works in practice, the guide to Wegovy injection sites covers technique and rotation alongside the titration journey. If you are researching when each Wegovy dose and formulation became available, our Wegovy UK date timeline traces every regulatory milestone from first approval to the 7.2mg pen. The MHRA's approval of the 7.2mg pen is recorded on GOV.UK and is the source to check if you want the regulatory detail rather than a summary.

Why does the extra dose matter? In the trials supporting approval, participants on 7.2mg lost around 20.7% of body weight on average over 72 weeks. That is noticeably more than the roughly 15% average seen with 2.4mg in the STEP 1 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and it narrows the gap with the highest tirzepatide dose meaningfully. A prescriber decides whether the higher dose is appropriate for you based on your tolerance and response at lower strengths; reaching 7.2mg is not automatic.

Step 2: oral semaglutide gets its UK licence (June 2026)

On 11 June 2026 the MHRA approved Wegovy tablets, the first oral GLP-1 medicine licensed for weight management anywhere in Europe, with the UK leading that regulatory milestone. The tablet combines semaglutide with an absorption enhancer called SNAC that allows the medicine to cross the stomach lining reliably. The licensed dose ladder runs 1.5mg, 4mg, 9mg, and then 25mg as the maintenance target, with at least one month at each level. It is worth being precise here: those are the Wegovy tablet strengths. The 3mg, 7mg and 14mg tablet strengths belong to Rybelsus, which is oral semaglutide for type 2 diabetes, not weight management, a different medicine, different schedule, different indication.

For the tablet to absorb properly it must be taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with a small amount of plain water, then a wait of at least 30 minutes before food, other drinks or any other oral medicines. No refrigeration is needed, which makes it genuinely travel-friendly. In the OASIS 4 phase-3 trial (307 adults, 64 weeks), participants lost around 13.6% of body weight on average compared with roughly 2.4% on placebo; among those who stayed fully adherent to treatment, that figure was approximately 16.6%. The tablet is not available on the NHS yet, a NICE appraisal would be required first. Our weight-loss treatment overview explains how the oral and injectable options compare for people weighing up the two routes.

Step 3: a new indication (MASH and the liver (July 2026)

The most recent update arrived on 3 July 2026, when semaglutide (Wegovy) received conditional MHRA approval to treat MASH) metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, a form of fatty liver disease, in adults with moderate-to-advanced fibrosis. This is a separate licensed indication from weight management. The GOV.UK announcement covers the full regulatory context. For most people reading this page, the liver indication is background information: it signals how the clinical evidence base for semaglutide is broadening, and it may be relevant if your GP has discussed liver health alongside weight. It does not change how Wegovy is prescribed or used for weight management, and nume prescribes in the weight-management lane specifically.

There is also an approved cardiovascular indication (reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events in eligible adults) which predates these 2026 updates. So Wegovy now holds four distinct UK authorisations: weight management, cardiovascular risk reduction, MASH, and the higher-dose 7.2mg pen for obesity. Each requires its own clinical assessment. If you are unsure which applies to your situation, the semaglutide overview sets out the full picture, and our clinical team is available to discuss it.

What these updates mean if you are considering treatment now

The practical takeaway is that Wegovy's licensed options in the UK are now broader than they were twelve months ago. A higher maximum dose exists for those who tolerate and need it. An injection-free route is available for people who feel strongly about avoiding needles. And the evidence base keeps strengthening. What has not changed is the pathway: these remain prescription-only medicines, every treatment plan starts with a clinical assessment, and the prescriber (not the patient) sets the dose.

A note on what to expect if you go ahead: once our prescribers approve a prescription, your order goes to our GPhC-registered pharmacy and DPD collects the same afternoon, delivering in plain, unbranded packaging the next working day with live tracking. The pen or tablet pack arrives cold-chain where needed, with the Patient Information Leaflet inside. Questions about use-by dates on unopened pens are covered in the Wegovy expiry guide. For a broader picture of the treatment including eligibility, the Wegovy UK hub is the place to start. Costs vary by dose and provider; for an honest breakdown of what private treatment typically involves, the guide to where to buy Wegovy in the UK covers what to look for and what to watch out for, including how to check any pharmacy on the GPhC register.

If you have read this far and want to find out whether you are eligible, the straightforward next step is a free consultation with our prescribers.