Foundayo is the newest prescription weight loss treatment available in the UK. It is taken as a tablet rather than an injection, with no fasting and no restrictions on food or drink, so it fits around your day rather than the other way round.
Foundayo is the brand name for orforglipron, a once-daily tablet made by Eli Lilly, the same manufacturer as Mounjaro. It belongs to the GLP-1 receptor agonist family of medicines, the same broad group as the established weight loss treatments, but it is taken as a tablet rather than an injection.
It is licensed as an aid to weight loss alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. It is not a substitute for those changes: the medication makes them easier to sustain, and it works best when the two go together.
GLP-1 is a hormone your body produces naturally after eating. It tells the brain you have had enough, and slows the rate at which food leaves the stomach. Orforglipron mimics that hormone, which has three practical effects:
Signals to the appetite centres in the brain that you are satisfied, so you feel hungry less often.
Food leaves the stomach more slowly, so you stay fuller for longer after a meal.
Helps regulate blood glucose levels, which reduces the swings that drive snacking.
There is already an oral GLP-1 available: the Wegovy pill, which contains semaglutide. The important practical difference is how the two tablets have to be taken.
Semaglutide is a peptide, so it is broken down by stomach acid unless it is taken on an empty stomach, with only a sip of water, and followed by a 30-minute wait before eating, drinking or taking anything else. Orforglipron is a small molecule rather than a peptide, so it survives the stomach intact. That means no fasting, no water limit, and no waiting.
There are two things to do before your appointment: complete the eligibility questionnaire, then book your consultation online. Both take a few minutes.
One tablet a day, swallowed whole with water. Take it at roughly the same time each day so the level in your system stays steady, and pick whatever time you will actually remember, with breakfast, or alongside another daily habit.
Treatment starts low and increases in monthly steps. This gives the body time to adjust and keeps side effects to a minimum. Each step is held for at least 30 days before moving up, and many people settle at a dose below the maximum, so we will help you find the lowest dose that works for you.
In the ATTAIN-1 clinical trial, people taking the highest dose lost an average of 12.4% of their starting body weight over 72 weeks. Averages hide a wide range, so the spread of results is more useful than the headline figure:
Your own result may be higher or lower. It depends on how your body responds, whether you can tolerate the higher doses, any other conditions or medicines, and how consistently the dietary and activity changes are kept up.
The eligibility criteria are the same as for other prescription weight loss medicines. You may be suitable if you have:
Eligibility is decided at a consultation, not from a form. One of our clinicians will review your history, current medicines and general health before any treatment is prescribed.
As with all GLP-1 medicines, the most common side effects are digestive. They are usually mildest at the lower doses, tend to appear shortly after starting or increasing a dose, and settle within a few days to a few weeks as the body adjusts.
You will have free messaging access to our clinical team throughout treatment, so if something is bothering you, tell us rather than stopping on your own.
In an emergency call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. For anything that concerns you but is not an emergency, contact us or speak to your GP.
Tell your clinician about every medicine you take, including anything bought over the counter and any herbal remedies. Several points matter particularly with orforglipron:
Orforglipron can reduce the effectiveness of the contraceptive pill. If you use oral contraception, you will need to add a barrier method such as condoms, or switch to a non-oral method, for 30 days after starting treatment and for 30 days after every dose increase. This is easy to overlook, so we will go through it with you at your consultation.
Foundayo's advantage is flexibility. Its trade-off is that, on the trial evidence, it produces less weight loss than the injectable treatments. Which matters more depends on you, and it is exactly the conversation to have at your consultation.
| Foundayo | Wegovy pill | Wegovy | Mounjaro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form | Daily tablet | Daily tablet | Weekly injection | Weekly injection |
| Active ingredient | Orforglipron | Semaglutide | Semaglutide | Tirzepatide |
| Food restrictions | None | Empty stomach, 30-minute wait | None | None |
| Average weight loss in trials | 12.4% at 72 weeks | 17% at 64 weeks | 21% at 72 weeks | 22.5% at 72 weeks |
| Price from | £129 | £129 | £139 | £209 |
If needles are the barrier that has stopped you starting treatment, an oral option is a genuine alternative. If maximum weight loss is the priority, the weekly injections still have the strongest results. And if you are already on treatment and doing well, there is rarely a good reason to switch: any change should be a decision made with a clinician, not on the basis of what is newest.
You can move to Foundayo from an injection or from another oral GLP-1, but it should always be done with clinical advice. The starting dose depends on what you are taking now and how recently you last took it, so it is not always a case of beginning at the lowest step. Book a consultation and we will work out the safest way to make the change.
Two things worth knowing before you consider it. Weight regain is common when GLP-1 treatment stops or steps down, so switching to a less effective option can mean losing ground. And if your current treatment is working and you are tolerating it well, staying put is usually the better choice, and we will tell you so.
Yes. Orforglipron is the active ingredient and Foundayo is the brand name Eli Lilly gives it. They are the same medicine.
Yes. Like all licensed weight loss medicines in the UK, it can only be supplied on prescription following a consultation with a clinician who has confirmed it is appropriate and safe for you.
That depends on how much weight you need to lose and whether you need support to maintain it. We review you monthly, and if the treatment is not working for you we will discuss alternatives rather than keep you on it.
Skip the missed dose and take the next one at your usual time the following day. Do not take two doses to make up for a missed one.
Your appetite will return, so weight regain is common unless the dietary and activity changes continue. If you are thinking about stopping, speak to us first so we can plan it with you and give you the best chance of holding onto your progress. Any side effects usually settle within a few weeks of stopping.
No. If your treatment is working well at a lower dose, you can stay there. Higher doses can be more effective but carry a greater chance of side effects, so we aim for the lowest dose that gives you a good result.
No food interacts with Foundayo, and there are no restrictions on when you take it. That said, greasy, fried and very sugary foods tend to make nausea worse in the early weeks, and they work against what you are trying to achieve, so they are worth limiting.
Not at present. It would need to be reviewed by NICE before any NHS availability is decided.
In its original packaging, which protects the tablets from light, and out of the reach of children. Unlike the injections, it does not need refrigerating. Check the expiry date before taking it.
Yes. Where clinically appropriate we can supply the same day if you attend in person, or arrange delivery within 24 to 48 hours.
Complete the eligibility questionnaire first, then book your consultation. We will confirm whether Foundayo is right for you, or recommend a better-suited option if it is not.
Prefer to talk to someone? Call us on 01306 884444. · Compare all treatments
This page is general information about a prescription medicine and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. Treatment is only supplied following a consultation and where a clinician judges it appropriate for you.
Information reviewed by Dr Vishal Sagar, August 2026.
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