A new daily pill to manage diabetes and assist with weight loss will be available at pharmacies across the UK from Monday.
Pharmacists said that the rollout is “particularly significant” for patients who are unable to use weight loss jabs.
The drug is called orforglipron and is sold under the brand name Foundayo. It was manufactured by American pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly and was authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) earlier this month.
It is the second GLP-1 pill for weight loss to be made available through UK pharmacies, after Wegovy in July.
The UK is the first country in Europe to approve the pill.
Eli Lilly said that it is working with the NHS spending watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, on its assessment of Foundayo for a potential rollout on the health service in England.
The medication is licensed for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or people with a BMI between 27 and 30 who have at least one weight-related condition.
It can also improve blood sugars in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.
The pill is taken once a day, at any time, with no food or water restrictions.
Dosage begins at 0.8mg, climbing to 2.5mg, 5.5mg, 9mg, 14.5mg, and 17.2mg.
Patients will spend a minimum of one month at each dosage level.
“We’re pleased that this means there is another oral treatment option for eligible UK patients alongside licensed injectable treatments,” Khalil Asmar, vice-president of cardiometabolic health at Lilly Northern Europe, said.
Henry Gregg, the chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said that it is “another significant day”.
“This is particularly significant for patients who cannot or do not want to take an injectable medicine and could make weight loss treatment available to a wider range of patients.
“It is easier for criminals to provide fake, unlicensed or counterfeit versions of oral medications than injectables and patients must make sure they only access weight loss treatments through safe and regulated pharmacies.
“There must now be a redoubling of efforts within government and the NHS to use pharmacies to make sure more eligible patients in clinical need can get weight loss treatments on the NHS, rather than the current postcode lottery that exists for weight management services via GPs.”
