Weight loss medication Wegovy is now available in pill form, delivering the same active ingredient, semaglutide, as the weekly injections but as a daily oral dose. This option could improve accessibility and affordability for obesity treatment.
Dr. Drew Payne on Key Differences
The FDA-approved pill contains the same medicine as Wegovy injections, but it requires higher dosages because absorption in the gastrointestinal tract is lower, explained Dr. Drew Payne, D.O., an internist at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center specializing in obesity.
"The ingredient in the pill or the active medicine in the pill is the same as the injection," Payne said. "The only real kind of difference is the medicine isn't absorbed as well in the GI tract so the dosage is quite a bit higher."
Consistent Weight Loss Results
At maximum doses, both the pill and injection versions help patients lose about 15% of their body weight on average, according to Payne. Side effects are also similar between the two forms.
Patient Pam Simpson lost 55 pounds using the injection and called it "one of the best decisions I've ever made." Diane Harlan lost 105 pounds, reducing her blood pressure medication needs, and said, "I think it's a miracle... It was the easiest thing I've ever done."
Significant Cost Savings
The pill version costs much less than injections. Wegovy pricing starts at $149 per month, with the highest doses under $400, compared to over $1,000 monthly for some injection users.
