Foundayo: a friendly guide to the daily tablet

What the UK authorisation covers

The MHRA authorised Foundayo for adult weight loss and weight maintenance alongside dietary changes and physical activity. The licence covers an initial BMI of at least 30, or at least 27 with a weight-related health condition. It also covers treatment of insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes.

The MHRA's August announcement said it was not then available through the NHS and that NHS decisions would follow the usual evaluation process. That statement describes the position at announcement, not a promise about later local access. Check with a clinician or local NHS service for the current pathway, and distinguish authorisation from stock or funding.

A different tablet needs its own conversation

Foundayo is taken daily and, unlike oral Wegovy, does not have the same food and water restrictions. Follow the leaflet and your prescription rather than transferring instructions from another product. It is a different active ingredient, so there is no simple milligram-for-milligram substitution.

Bring a complete medicines list, including herbal products. The UK leaflet identifies interactions with several medicines, making a pharmacist's review particularly useful. Explain any previous problems with GLP-1 treatment. Ask what would make this medicine a reasonable option for you, how progress would be reviewed and what support would be available if it did not suit you.

Check the details that are easy to miss

Foundayo can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and other digestive effects. Seek urgent medical help for severe, persistent abdominal pain. Pregnancy and breastfeeding require specific discussion: the medicine should not be used during either. The UK leaflet also warns that oral contraception may be less effective and advises additional barrier or non-oral contraception for 30 days after starting and after each increase.

Ask a clinician to explain how this applies to your contraception and pregnancy plans. Avoid buying a product labelled ‘research use’ or assuming a social-media seller supplies the authorised medicine. If considering private care, verify who prescribes, who dispenses and who provides follow-up before comparing prices.