SHIFT Newsroom · GLOBAL
New US Wegovy tablet study — what it found and who it left out
A US study tracked 5,872 adults who stayed on Wegovy tablets for three months. Here’s what it found, who was left out and what it means for UK readers.
What did the study find?
Adults in the analysis lost an average of 6.2% of their starting weight over three months. They had not previously used prescription weight-loss medicines, and the researchers included only people who stayed on treatment and had weight measurements at the start and at three months. Novo Nordisk funded the study, which used records from the US telehealth platform Ro. Reuters reported the findings on 14 November 2026; the conference programme listed the poster for 15 November. Study poster · Conference programme · Reuters.
What can’t it tell us?
There was no comparison group, and weights were self-reported. The study can’t tell us what happened to people who stopped or why they stopped, or whether tablets work better than injections. For side-effect context, the separate randomised OASIS 4 trial reported digestive side effects in 74.0% of participants taking the tablet and 42.2% taking placebo. OASIS 4, published 17 September 2025.
What does this mean in the UK?
The MHRA authorised Wegovy tablets for adult weight management on 11 June 2026. NHS England said on 10 September 2026 that the tablets were not routinely available on the NHS, while allowing for local commissioning decisions for defined groups. The US study does not change that position. MHRA authorisation · NHS England prescribing letter.
SHIFT’s take
The three-month figure describes people who stayed on treatment and logged their weight. The study does not tell us what happened to people who stopped or change NHS access in the UK.
Known facts
- Adults in the analysis lost an average of 6.2% of their starting weight over three months.