A once-daily tablet for people living with diabetes and weight-related health conditions became available in UK pharmacies on Monday, making the UK the first country in Europe to offer Orforglipron — marketed as Foundayo — on prescription. Made by US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, the medicine is licensed for adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, as well as those with a BMI between 27 and 30 who also have at least one weight-related condition. It may also be prescribed to help improve blood sugar control in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, The Guardian reports. The pill can be taken once a day at any time, with no restrictions around food or water.
Pharmacists have welcomed the arrival of the treatment, saying it could benefit people who are unable or unwilling to use injectable weight-loss medicines. However, they also warned about the rising threat of fake, unlicensed or counterfeit GLP-1 tablets, which illegal sellers have increasingly targeted because of demand for weight-loss treatments.
Foundayo will initially be offered only through private prescriptions, meaning patients will need to cover the full cost of the medicine themselves. Eli Lilly said it is working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), which is assessing the drug for a possible future rollout on the NHS in England.
Khalil Asmar, vice-president of cardiometabolic health at Lilly Northern Europe, said: “The UK is the first country in Europe where Foundayo is now available. We’re pleased that this means there is another oral treatment option for eligible UK patients alongside licensed injectable treatments.”
Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said the launch marked “another significant day” as a second weight-loss pill becomes available in selected pharmacies. He added: “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.”
BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared. For most people, the simplest way to check their exact figure is to use the NHS BMI Calculator online rather than working it out manually.
