# What Are GLP-1 Drugs? The Plain-English Explainer

> GLP-1 drugs explained without the jargon: what these medicines are, how they work, and which ones (Mounjaro, Wegovy, the Wegovy pill, Foundayo) are available in the UK.

Source: https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/glp-1-what-are-glp-1-drugs.html  
Publisher: Pharmacy Score (comparepharmacyscore.com), free and independent  
Author: John Longton, GPhC Mock Inspection Service Auditor  
Last reviewed: 24 September 2026

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[GLP-1](https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/glp-1-glp-1-prices.html) · Pharmacy Score

# What are GLP-1 drugs?

GLP-1 explained without the jargon: what these medicines are, how they work, and which ones are available in the UK.

In short

GLP-1 explained without the jargon: what these medicines are, how they work, and which ones are available in the UK. Pharmacy Score is free and independent: every pharmacy it lists is GPhC register-verified, every score is the provider’s real Trustpilot rating, and live GLP-1 prices are one click away via the trackers below.

GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone your gut releases after eating that tells your brain you're full and slows how quickly your stomach empties. GLP-1 medicines mimic that hormone, amplifying the “I'm satisfied” signal.

### The UK family, 2026

- **Mounjaro (tirzepatide)**: weekly injection; mimics GLP-1 and a second hormone, GIP, which is why its trial results lead the class. [Prices →](https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/mounjaro-prices.html)

- **Wegovy (semaglutide)**: weekly injection, pure GLP-1. [Prices →](https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/wegovy-prices.html)

- **Wegovy pill (oral semaglutide)**: the same ingredient as a daily tablet with a fasting routine. [Prices →](https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/wegovy-pill-prices.html)

- **Foundayo (orforglipron)**: a daily tablet and the first small-molecule GLP-1, so no fasting needed. UK-licensed 10 August 2026. [Prices →](https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/foundayo-prices.html)

### What they're for: and what they're not

They're licensed for weight management in adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, alongside diet and activity changes, not instead of them. They're prescription-only, not suitable for everyone, and the decision to start one belongs to a prescriber. For the clinical detail, the [NHS obesity page](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/) is the right starting point.

## Live prices, per medication.

[Mounjarotirzepatide · once-weekly injectionMonj.co.uk →](https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/mounjaro-prices.html)[Wegovysemaglutide · once-weekly injectioniGovy.co.uk →](https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/wegovy-prices.html)[Wegovy Pilloral semaglutide · once-daily tabletoGovy.co.uk →](https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/wegovy-pill-prices.html)[Foundayoorforglipron · once-daily tabletDayo.co.uk →](https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/foundayo-prices.html)

## Before you start, the safety page.

What is normal in the first weeks, what changes after a dose increase, the contraceptive-pill interaction many people are never told about, and the symptoms that mean stop and get help. [Side effects and safety →](https://comparepharmacyscore.com/html/mounjaro-wegovy-side-effects.html)

## The official sources, in one place.

These are the bodies that actually regulate, appraise and advise. If anything you read anywhere (including here) disagrees with them, believe them.

[GPhC registerCheck any pharmacy's registration before you order, free and instant.](https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/registers/pharmacy)[MHRA: buying medicines onlineThe regulator's official advice on buying medication safely on the internet.](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buy-medicines-online)[MHRA Yellow CardReport a side effect from any medicine, it takes five minutes and it matters.](https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/)[NICE: semaglutide (TA875)The evidence-based NHS guidance for Wegovy in weight management.](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta875)[NICE: tirzepatide (TA1026)The evidence-based NHS guidance for Mounjaro in weight management.](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta1026)[NHS: obesityNHS overview of treatment options, including when medicines are considered.](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/)[NHS: Better HealthFree NHS support for losing weight, with or without medication.](https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/lose-weight/)[electronic medicines compendiumThe official patient information leaflets for every licensed UK medicine.](https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc)