Each of the four weight-management medicines in this article starts at a low dose and steps up at a pace its UK licence sets. [1] [2] [3] [4] The shortest time on each dose is 4 weeks for the Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and 1 month for the Wegovy pill (semaglutide tablets). [1] [2] For Mounjaro (tirzepatide) it is 4 weeks, and for Foundayo (orforglipron) 30 days. [3] [4]
Only the two Wegovy forms set the dose for every period of the schedule. [1] [2] Mounjaro and Foundayo set only the first increase and leave the later ones optional. [3] [4] The medicine and the pace are both clinical decisions.
This article sets the four licence schedules side by side, month by month. It links to the week-by-week guide for each medicine. It is a reference for men starting treatment, so you can read your own schedule against what the licences say.
In this article
- What are the four licensed dose schedules?
- What does each licence set, month by month?
- Why do the doses start low and step up?
- What does each licence say about holding or stepping back a dose?
- What if you miss a dose?
- What happens after month 6?
- What do the four week-by-week guides cover?
- How does HeMed fit in?
- Frequently asked questions
What are the four licensed dose schedules?
The two tables below give the four schedules as each licence sets them. A medicine’s licence is its UK approval, which sets the doses and the rules for using it. Each schedule comes from the medicine’s Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and its patient leaflet. [1] [2] [3] [4]
The SmPC is the licence document that sets a medicine’s doses. Stepping a dose up in stages is called titration, or dose escalation.
A maintenance dose is the dose a licence names for continued treatment. Tolerability means how well you cope with a medicine’s side effects.
Starting dose and shortest time on each dose
| Medicine | Form and how often | Starting dose | Shortest time on each dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy injection (semaglutide) | Weekly injection | 0.25 mg once weekly [1] | 4 weeks. The licence escalates the dose over a 16-week period. [1] |
| Wegovy pill (semaglutide tablets) | Daily tablet | 1.5 mg once daily [2] | 1 month at each dose level, as a minimum. [2] |
| Mounjaro (tirzepatide) | Weekly injection | 2.5 mg once weekly [3] | 4 weeks. After 4 weeks the dose should be increased to 5 mg. Further increases come only if needed, each after a minimum of 4 weeks on the current dose. [3] |
| Foundayo (orforglipron) | Daily tablet | 0.8 mg once daily [4] | At least 30 days on each dose. [4] |
Maintenance dose, maximum dose and taking rules
| Medicine | Maintenance or maximum dose | Taking rules |
|---|---|---|
| Wegovy injection (semaglutide) | 2.4 mg is the maintenance dose. 7.2 mg for adults with obesity if needed, after a minimum of 4 weeks on 2.4 mg. [1] | Any time of day, with or without meals. The weekly day can change if at least 3 days have passed since the last dose. [1] |
| Wegovy pill (semaglutide tablets) | 25 mg is the maintenance dose and the maximum. One tablet a day. [2] | On an empty stomach after a fast of at least 8 hours, swallowed whole with up to 120 mL of water. Then wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other oral medicines. [2] |
| Mounjaro (tirzepatide) | The recommended maintenance doses are 5, 10 and 15 mg. 15 mg is the maximum. [3] | Any time of day, with or without meals. The weekly day can change if at least 3 days have passed since the last dose. [3] |
| Foundayo (orforglipron) | No maintenance dose is named. 17.2 mg is the maximum. One tablet a day. [4] | Any time of day, without food or water restriction. Swallowed whole, not broken, crushed or chewed. [4] |
The four medicines appear in the same order in every table in this article. The order ranks nothing.
The 7.2 mg dose
The Wegovy injection licence names a second maintenance dose. For weight management in adults with obesity, the dose can be increased to 7.2 mg once weekly if needed. [1] The move comes after a minimum of 4 weeks on 2.4 mg. [1]
Obesity here means a body mass index (BMI, your weight against your height) of 30 or more. [1] [5]
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the UK medicines regulator. It approved the 7.2 mg dose on 6 January 2026, given as three 2.4 mg injections. [5]
It approved a single-dose 7.2 mg pen on 14 April 2026. [6] That pen has its own licence document, with the same dose schedule. [7]
The 7.2 mg dose is the maximum. [8] It does not apply to people with a BMI under 30, or to treatment prescribed to lower the risk of serious heart problems. [5] Whether to move to it is a clinical decision.
What does each licence set, month by month?
The two Wegovy forms set the dose for every period of the schedule. [1] [2] Mounjaro and Foundayo set only the first increase. [3] [4] For those two, from the third month the dose is a clinical decision within the licence’s limits. [3] [4]
The table gives each licence’s own words. Where a licence sets nothing, the cell says so.
Months 1 and 2: the steps every licence sets
| Period | Wegovy injection | Wegovy pill | Mounjaro | Foundayo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | 0.25 mg, weeks 1 to 4 [1] | 1.5 mg, month 1 [2] [9] | 2.5 mg, the starting dose, for 4 weeks [3] [10] | 0.8 mg, the starting dose, for at least 30 days [4] [11] |
| Month 2 | 0.5 mg, weeks 5 to 8 [1] | 4 mg, month 2 [2] [9] | 5 mg. After 4 weeks the dose should be increased to 5 mg, a maintenance dose. [3] | 2.5 mg. After at least 30 days the dose should be increased to 2.5 mg. [4] |
Month 3 onwards: where the licences differ
| Period | Wegovy injection | Wegovy pill | Mounjaro | Foundayo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month 3 | 1 mg, weeks 9 to 12 [1] | 9 mg, month 3 [2] [9] | Clinical decision. Increases of 2.5 mg if needed, each after a minimum of 4 weeks on the current dose. Maintenance doses 5, 10 or 15 mg; maximum 15 mg. [3] | Clinical decision. 5.5 mg after at least 30 days on 2.5 mg. Then 9, 14.5 or 17.2 mg, each after at least 30 days, based on response and tolerability. No maintenance dose is named; maximum 17.2 mg. [4] |
| Month 4 | 1.7 mg, weeks 13 to 16 [1] | 25 mg, the maintenance dose, from month 4 [2] [9] | Clinical decision, within the month 3 limits. | Clinical decision, within the month 3 limits. |
| From month 5 | 2.4 mg, the maintenance dose, from week 17. From week 21, 7.2 mg for adults with obesity if needed. [1] [8] [5] | 25 mg. The leaflet says not to increase this dose further. [9] | Clinical decision, within the month 3 limits. | Clinical decision, within the month 3 limits. |
How to read the month rows
Each column keeps its own licence’s clock. The Wegovy injection counts in weeks, the Wegovy pill in months, Mounjaro in weeks and Foundayo in days. [1] [2] [3] [4] A row shows the earliest a step can fall under that clock, not a date your dose will change.
The licences set the shortest time on each dose. Whether and when your dose moves is a clinical decision.
Why do the doses start low and step up?
Only one of the four licences gives a reason. The Wegovy injection licence says the dose is escalated over a 16-week period “to reduce the likelihood of gastrointestinal symptoms”, meaning digestive symptoms. [1] The Wegovy pill, Mounjaro and Foundayo licences set the pace without stating why. [2] [3] [4]
All four licences record that nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea were more frequent during dose escalation. [1] [2] [3] [4] The Mounjaro and Foundayo licences add that these effects decreased over time. [3] [4] The week-by-week guides describe how these effects tend to run at each step.
What does each licence say about holding or stepping back a dose?
Three of the four licences give a direct answer. For significant gastrointestinal symptoms, the Wegovy injection licence says to consider delaying dose escalation or lowering to the previous dose until symptoms have improved. [1]
The Wegovy pill licence says the dose can be maintained at the previous dose level if needed. [2] The Mounjaro licence has no hold or step-back sentence. The licence makes every increase after 5 mg “if needed”, each after a minimum of 4 weeks on the current dose. [3]
The Foundayo licence says to consider changing or stopping the dose for severe gastrointestinal symptoms. It also makes each step beyond 5.5 mg depend on treatment response and tolerability. Those steps are 9, 14.5 and 17.2 mg. [4]
All four leaflets say not to stop without talking to your doctor. [8] [9] [10] [11] The Mounjaro and Foundayo leaflets add: do not change your dose unless your doctor has told you to. [10] [11]
What if you miss a dose?
The four rules differ, so check the one for your medicine. Each comes from the licence and the patient leaflet. [1] [2] [3] [4]
| Medicine | What the licence and leaflet say |
|---|---|
| Wegovy injection | Take it as soon as possible, within 5 days of the missed dose. After more than 5 days, skip it and take the next dose on the usual day. Do not take a double dose. If several doses are missed, the licence says to consider restarting at a lower dose. [1] [8] |
| Wegovy pill | Skip the missed dose and take the next dose the following day. One tablet a day only; never two tablets for a higher dose. [2] [9] |
| Mounjaro | Take it as soon as possible, within 4 days of the missed dose. After more than 4 days, skip it and take the next dose on the usual day. Do not use a double dose. At least 3 days must separate two doses. [3] [10] |
| Foundayo | Take it as soon as you remember. No more than one tablet a day, and no double dose to make up for a forgotten one. [4] [11] |
What happens after month 6?
Two of the four licences set a review point at 6 months, with different starting points. [1] [3] Under the Wegovy injection licence the review comes after 6 months on treatment. If you have lost less than 5% of your initial body weight, the licence requires a decision on whether to continue. [1]
The Wegovy pill licence sets no review point; its leaflet says your doctor will assess your treatment on a regular basis. [2] [9] The Mounjaro licence sets the same 5% review, but 6 months after titrating to the highest tolerated dose. [3] The Foundayo licence sets no review point. [4]
No licence sets a timed step beyond these points. The maintenance or maximum dose in the table above is the top of each schedule. [1] [2] [3] [4] The week-by-week guides cover what the trials report at the end of treatment.
What do the four week-by-week guides cover?
Each guide takes one medicine from the starting dose to maintenance. It covers the side effects the licence lists at each stage and the signs that need a call to your clinician.
- Wegovy injection week by week: the escalation to 2.4 mg and the optional 7.2 mg dose. When side effects ease and when to call your clinician.
- The Wegovy pill week by week: the four dose levels and the empty-stomach rule. When side effects ease and when to call your clinician.
- Mounjaro week by week: the dose steps and when appetite changes start. When side effects ease and when to contact your clinician.
- Foundayo week by week: the six dose strengths and the taking rules. Side effects and when to call your clinician.
How does HeMed fit in?
HeMed starts with a blood test. We measure 10 metabolic markers across four systems from a needle-free blood test at home.
A clinician reviews your blood test first. If they approve treatment, we deliver it the next working day, discreetly packaged, with delivery included in your plan.
Your dose moves on how you are doing, not on a calendar. If side effects are still settling on a lower dose, your clinician can hold that dose before any increase, as the licence allows. [1] [2] [3] [4] No step comes sooner than the licence minimum. [1] [2] [3] [4]
A weekly in-app check-in, reviewed by clinicians, so your plan can be adjusted when it needs to be. A retest every 6 months shows what’s actually changing.
Each of the four medicines in this article is a prescription medicine for weight management. Whether it’s right for you is a clinical decision, made from your health information and your baseline blood test.
Frequently asked questions
What is the shortest time the licence allows on each dose?
The licence minimum is 4 weeks for the Wegovy injection, 1 month for the Wegovy pill, 4 weeks for Mounjaro and 30 days for Foundayo. Each is a minimum, not a target. Your clinician can keep you on a dose for longer.
Can you stay on a lower dose?
Whether you can stay on a lower dose depends on the medicine’s licence. For significant gastrointestinal symptoms, the Wegovy injection licence allows lowering to the previous dose until symptoms have improved. The Wegovy pill licence says the dose can be maintained at the previous level if needed.
Mounjaro names 5, 10 and 15 mg as maintenance doses, so treatment can settle at 5 mg or 10 mg. Foundayo names no maintenance dose, and each step beyond 5.5 mg depends on treatment response and tolerability.
Does every medicine have a named maintenance dose?
No. The Wegovy injection’s maintenance dose is 2.4 mg. The licence names 7.2 mg as a second maintenance dose for adults with obesity, if needed.
The Wegovy pill’s is 25 mg. Mounjaro’s recommended maintenance doses are 5, 10 and 15 mg. Foundayo’s licence names none and sets a maximum of 17.2 mg.
Do the licences set a different schedule for men?
No: each licence sets one schedule for adults, and none adjusts the dose by sex. Each also states that sex has no clinically relevant effect on the medicine’s pharmacokinetics. Pharmacokinetics is how the body absorbs and clears a medicine.
Trial results by sex are a separate question. See Wegovy for men vs women for what the Wegovy trials report.
Are the dose steps counted in weeks, months or days?
Each licence uses its own clock. The Wegovy injection counts in weeks, the Wegovy pill in months, Mounjaro in weeks and Foundayo in days. The month rows in this article are a reading aid; your clinician works to the unit in your medicine’s licence.
What if side effects are still settling when a step is due?
Tell your clinician before the step. The Wegovy injection licence says to consider delaying the increase or lowering to the previous dose until symptoms have improved. The Wegovy pill licence allows the dose to stay at the previous level.
The Mounjaro licence makes every increase after 5 mg “if needed”. The Foundayo licence says to consider changing or stopping the dose for severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Do not change your dose or stop on your own: each leaflet says to talk to your doctor first.
HeMed provides clinician-led weight management. Treatment is prescription-only and is prescribed only where a clinician decides it is suitable. This page is general health information, not medical advice. If you are worried about symptoms, speak to your GP, or use NHS 111.
Next step: see what the HeMed blood test measures.
Sources (11)
- Novo Nordisk, Wegovy FlexTouch (semaglutide) Summary of Product Characteristics, sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.8 and 5.2 (text revised September 2026). electronic medicines compendium. medicines.org.uk/emc/product/13800/smpc. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- Novo Nordisk, Wegovy 25 mg tablets (semaglutide) Summary of Product Characteristics, sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.8 and 5.2 (text revised June 2026). electronic medicines compendium. medicines.org.uk/emc/product/102347/smpc. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- Eli Lilly, Mounjaro KwikPen (tirzepatide) Summary of Product Characteristics, sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.8 and 5.2 (text revised 29 August 2026). electronic medicines compendium. medicines.org.uk/emc/product/15484/smpc. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- Eli Lilly, Foundayo film-coated tablets (orforglipron) Summary of Product Characteristics, sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.8 and 5.2 (text revised 10 August 2026). electronic medicines compendium. medicines.org.uk/emc/product/102532/smpc. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- MHRA, “Medicines regulator approves up to 7.2mg dose of semaglutide (Wegovy) for patients with obesity only”, 16 January 2026 (approval dated 6 January 2026). gov.uk/government/news. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- MHRA, “Single-dose 7.2mg semaglutide (Wegovy) pen approved to treat adult patients with obesity”, 14 April 2026. gov.uk/government/news. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- Novo Nordisk, Wegovy 7.2 mg solution for injection in pre-filled pen (semaglutide) Summary of Product Characteristics, section 4.2 (text revised September 2026). electronic medicines compendium. medicines.org.uk/emc/product/102093/smpc. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- Novo Nordisk, Wegovy FlexTouch Patient Information Leaflet, section 3 (last revised August 2026). electronic medicines compendium. medicines.org.uk/emc/product/13800/pil. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- Novo Nordisk, Wegovy tablets Patient Information Leaflet, section 3 (last revised June 2026). electronic medicines compendium. medicines.org.uk/emc/product/102347/pil. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- Eli Lilly, Mounjaro KwikPen Patient Information Leaflet, section 3 (last revised August 2026). electronic medicines compendium. medicines.org.uk/emc/product/15484/pil. Accessed 21 October 2026.
- Eli Lilly, Foundayo film-coated tablets Patient Information Leaflet, section 3 (last revised August 2026). electronic medicines compendium. medicines.org.uk/emc/product/102532/pil. Accessed 21 October 2026.
Numbered markers in the page text link to these entries. Statistics describe populations, not any one person’s results.