Wegovy is now available as a daily oral tablet, with the 1.5 mg starter dose available immediately and higher doses arriving shortly. Both the pill and weekly injection contain semaglutide and produced similar weight loss in trials (roughly 14–15% vs. ~2% for placebo). The tablet must be taken on an empty stomach and requires a 30-minute wait before food, drink or other meds. Prices start at $149/month (cash) for the starter tablet, and insured patients may pay as little as $25 through a manufacturer savings program.
Wegovy Now Available as a Daily Pill: What to Know About Dosing, Cost, and Effectiveness
Patients are now able to get Novo Nordisk's Wegovy pill for weight loss. - Novo Nordisk
Americans seeking prescription weight-loss treatment can now choose Wegovy as a daily oral tablet instead of a weekly injection. The 1.5 mg starter tablet is available now, and Novo Nordisk says higher tablet doses will be stocked by the end of the week.
Where to Find It
The Wegovy pill is being stocked at major pharmacies (including CVS and Costco) and is available through several telehealth providers (such as Ro, LifeMD and WW/WeightWatchers), as well as through NovoCare Pharmacy, GoodRx and other outlets. Novo Nordisk says the tablet is produced entirely at its North Carolina manufacturing facilities and that it expects to meet demand.
Pricing And Insurance
Cash prices under an introductory program start at $149 per month for the 1.5 mg starter tablet. The 4 mg tablet is priced at $149 through April 15, then rises to $199; the 9 mg and 25 mg tablet doses are $299 per month. By comparison, the self-pay price for the injectable Wegovy is about $349 per month, though promotional pricing for new injectable patients is available for a limited time.
Patients whose plans cover the drug for obesity may pay as little as $25 per month through a Novo Nordisk savings program that applies to the pill or injection. Insurance coverage for GLP-1s and weight-loss medications remains variable; clinicians say cost and coverage often drive treatment choice.
How It’s Taken
Both the pill and the injection contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide, and are FDA-approved for the same patient groups: people with obesity (typically BMI ≥ 30) and people with overweight (BMI ≥ 27) who have at least one weight-related health condition, such as high blood pressure.
Pill administration: The Wegovy tablet is taken once daily on an empty stomach with a small sip of water. You must wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking anything else, or taking other medications to allow the tablet to absorb. Novo Nordisk warns that failure to wait the 30 minutes can reduce effectiveness. If you miss a tablet, skip the missed dose and take the next tablet the following day.
Injection administration: The injectable form is given once weekly and does not require fasting around the time of dosing.
Effectiveness — What Trials Showed
Clinical trials showed similar weight-loss results for the Wegovy pill and the weekly injection. The oral Wegovy demonstrated average weight loss of about 14% over 64 weeks versus 2% with placebo. The injectable achieved roughly 15% weight loss in its key trial versus 2% for placebo.
For context, Eli Lilly’s oral candidate orforglipron produced about 11% weight loss over 72 weeks at its highest dose, while Lilly’s injectable Zepbound showed roughly 21% weight loss at its top dose in trials.
Side Effects And Tolerability
Wegovy (oral and injectable) is in the GLP-1 class and is commonly associated with gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea. Clinical data indicate similar tolerability between the pill and the injection, although individual responses vary.
Which Form Is Right For You?
Choice depends on personal preference, tolerability and insurance coverage. The daily pill may appeal to people who dislike injections and can accommodate the 30-minute fasting requirement. The weekly shot may be preferred by people who want a lower daily regimen burden or who find injections acceptable.
Dr. Jorge Moreno (Yale Medicine) notes that patients who had trouble tolerating the injectable or progressing in dose may consider switching to the oral option. Dr. Judith Korner (Columbia University) adds that because injections are longer-lasting in the body, side effects from a shot can persist longer than those from a pill; stopping a pill stops exposure more quickly.
Practical Takeaways
- Wegovy pill is available now in a 1.5 mg starter dose; higher doses will follow soon.
- Take the tablet on an empty stomach with a small sip of water and wait 30 minutes before consuming anything else.
- Both forms contain semaglutide and showed similar weight-loss effects in trials, but side effects are possible.
- Cost varies widely; check insurance coverage and manufacturer savings programs before choosing.
If you are considering Wegovy (pill or injection), discuss it with your clinician to weigh benefits, side effects, dosing preferences and insurance implications.
