With Foundayo's MHRA approval on 10 August 2026, the UK now has two once daily GLP-1 weight loss tablets. They sound similar, but they behave very differently. Here is the honest pharmacist comparison.
The one minute answer
The Wegovy tablet (semaglutide) is available at Solira today, but it has to be taken on an empty stomach with a 30 minute wait before food, drink or other medicines. Foundayo (orforglipron) is taken once daily at any time, with or without food or water, swallowed whole, and is also available at Solira today. Neither is better in general: suitability is individual and is assessed by our pharmacist.
Head to head
| Foundayo | Wegovy tablet | |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Orforglipron, small molecule | Semaglutide, peptide |
| How you take it | Once daily at any time, with or without food or water, swallowed whole | Once daily on an empty stomach, max 120ml water, then wait 30 minutes |
| Dose range | 0.8mg to 17.2mg daily | 1.5mg to 25mg daily, stepped |
| Starting price | £79.99 per 30 days | £79.99 per 30 days |
| Highest dose price | £139.99 per 30 days | £169.99 per 30 days |
| Also licensed for | Type 2 diabetes control | Weight management |
| UK availability | Available now at Solira | Available now at Solira |
Why the taking rules matter more than they sound
On paper, a 30 minute wait sounds trivial. In practice, it is the single most common reason patients tell us the Wegovy tablet routine slips: early starts, school runs, shift work, morning coffee. Missed or badly timed doses mean less medicine absorbed and slower results. Foundayo removes the routine entirely, which for some people is the difference between taking it as prescribed and not.
Why many people still choose the Wegovy tablet
Familiarity. Semaglutide is very well characterised across millions of patients, and many people prefer a medicine with that track record. Switching between GLP-1 treatments later can be planned safely with your pharmacist.
Side effects: essentially the same family
Both cause the classic GLP-1 gut effects, nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, and indigestion, worst early on and after dose increases. Foundayo has one extra flag worth knowing: it can reduce how well the contraceptive pill works, so a barrier method is advised for 30 days after starting and after each dose increase.
Price
Both treatments start at £79.99 per 30 days at Solira. Wegovy tablets are £79.99 for 1.5mg, £94.99 for 4mg, £114.99 for 9mg and £169.99 for 25mg. Foundayo is £79.99 for 0.8mg, £84.99 for 2.5mg, £89.99 for 5.5mg, £107.99 for 9mg, £134.99 for 14.5mg and £139.99 for 17.2mg. All prices include VAT, with Royal Mail Tracked 48 delivery at £2.99. Foundayo's highest dose is £139.99 against £169.99 for the highest Wegovy tablet dose. See our confirmed Foundayo UK price list for the full per dose breakdown.
Three quick questions
Which tablet suits your routine?
How do your mornings usually look?
Our take
If you want to start now, Wegovy tablets can be prescribed today following a consultation with our pharmacist. If the fasting and timing rules have not worked for you before, Foundayo may suit you better: it can be prescribed today too, see our Foundayo page. Background on the licence itself is in our MHRA approval explainer.