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Novo Nordisk has announced MHRA approval for its Wegovy pill product, with the manufacturer anticipating the drug to be available on prescription “within weeks”.  

The once-daily pill, which contains semaglutide 25mg, is indicated for adults with obesity or overweight and at least one weight-related condition.  

Despite receiving regulatory approval the Wegovy pill is not yet available on the NHS, as NICE approval of the drugs cost-effectiveness is still pending.

In a clinical trial, patients who received Wegovy pills alongside lifestyle interventions lost an average of 13.6 per cent in body weight after 64 weeks, compared with an average weight loss of 2.4 per cent for those receiving placebo. 

The most common side effects were gastrointestinal, including nausea and diarrhoea, and were reported by three-quarters of those in the test group. 

Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health at the University of Glasgow, said: "The approval of the once-daily oral form of Wegovy is welcome news for people living with obesity, particularly those who would prefer not to use injections.

“Expanding the range of effective treatments is important in helping people sustainably reduce caloric intakes within an increasingly obesogenic environment.

“With obesity rates in the UK now at very high levels, and associated with substantial multimorbidity, additional treatment options for sustained weight loss are greatly needed.”

National Pharmacy Association chair Olivier Picard said: "This is a very significant announcement that will have a major impact on people trying to achieve a healthy weight through weight loss treatment.

"This is particularly significant for patients who cannot or do not want to take an injectable medicine and may also bring down the cost of treatment in the long run.

"Pharmacies are awaiting further guidance about when this treatment will be available for patients. 

"However, we are concerned about a growing black market for counterfeit weight loss treatments, with a tablet form of medication potentially easier for criminals to counterfeit. 

"Patients must only ever obtain weight loss medication, properly prescribed and dispensed by a regulated pharmacy. Unregulated providers may be selling faked medicines or medicines that do not meet the strict safety standards we have in the UK."