New weight-loss pill approved for use in UK
10 August 2026
A daily weight-loss pill made by the drug firm behind the Mounjaro jab has been approved for use in the UK – the first country in Europe to do so. Foundayo, made by Eli Lilly, is for treating obesity and Type 2 diabetes. The approval by the Medicines and Healthcare productors Regulatory Agency (MHRA) does not automatically mean it will be made available on the NHS but people will be able to buy it privately with a prescription.
Foundayo is a form of GLP-1 medication that reduces appetite and is similar to a pill version of a similar weight-loss drug, Wegovy, approved by the MHRA in June. Eli Lilly said while it could immediately be used by the NHS for Type 2 diabetes, it would be making an application to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England for it to be recommended as a weight loss treatment as well.
Experts make the following comment:
- the weight loss benefits of Foundayo are less than other treatments, but patients could still expect to see “significant, clinically meaningful changes to their weight”
- a key advantage is that it is likely to be cheaper than other weight-loss treatments, which have tended to be tightly restricted by the NHS
- it is convenient and unlike the Wegovy pill, which has to be taken on an empty stomach, this pill could be taken at any time of the day.
- experts believe it could help people coming off weight-loss jabs remain slim.
People on weight loss medication are also advised to eat a healthy diet and get enough exercise. Like any medication, there can be side effects to using Foundayo, including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting.
