Over the past five years, GLP-1 receptor agonists have revolutionised the medical world and allowed for the creation of complete healthy weight loss programmes that encourage people to make profound changes to their lifestyle.

At a local specialist pharmacy, medications such as Wegovy and Mounjaro are paired with nutritional plans and exercise regimes designed to make the most of the medication, ensure all of your nutritional needs are met with fewer calories and that targeted exercises help you to meet your fitness goals.

However, your choices of medication are likely to increase in the next few years, as at least two oral weight management medications are in the latter stages of regulatory approval, are expected to be prescribed in the United States as early as 2026 and potentially could appear on pharmacy shelves in the UK before the end of next year.

What Are Weight Loss Tablets?

There are two types of weight loss tablets, oral semaglutide and orforglipron, both of which use the same mechanism of action as Wegovy and Mounjaro do.

In fact, oral semaglutide is the same active ingredient used in Wegovy and the diabetes medication Ozempic, with the difference being that, whilst the latter two use an injector pen, oral semaglutide takes the form of a pill.

How Are Tablets Different To Existing Injections?

The biggest difference between orforglipron and oral semaglutide compared to Mounjaro and Wegovy is that, whilst the latter are taken each week in controlled doses injected using a special pen, the former takes the form of a daily tablet.

This means that the vials of injectable medication need to be refrigerated, have a relatively short use-by date and people who are prescribed them will typically also need to set up a sharps bin in order to safely dispose of the needles used for injection.

None of this is required for tablets, which last a lot longer and can be stored in most cool, dry places.

What Are The Advantages For Weight Loss Tablets Over Injections?

One of the goals manufacturers have for weight loss tablets is to make GLP-1 receptor agonists more widely accessible.

Tablets are far cheaper to manufacture due to the fact that complex injector pens no longer need to be supplied, and those savings can be passed down to people who are prescribed the medication.

As well as this, some people have a phobia of needles, which may discourage them from looking into weight loss medications that all currently use injector pens. Tablets are easier to take, even if you have to do so every day rather than every week.

Will Weight Loss Tablets Replace Injections?

At present, this seems unlikely. Weight loss tablets have been shown to be demonstrably effective, but injections have allowed for greater levels of weight loss thus far.

As well as this, the convenience of weekly injections means that the desire for a treatment you only have to think about once a week is still desirable.

How Will Weight Loss Tablets Affect Treatments In The New Year?

  • Dosage schedules would change from one jab a week to one tablet a day.
  • Tablets could make weight loss medications cheaper and more accessible.
  • Tablets do not need to be stored in a refrigerator.
  • Injection pens will not completely disappear.