The treatment library · UK information

Weight management

Understand assessment, weight-management medicines, NHS and private routes, and the support that should accompany care.

5 medicine guides · Updated 7 September 2026 · Published by Pick My Pharmacy

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Weight management medicine guides

Read about the purpose, assessment, important safety questions and follow-up for the exact product. The order is alphabetical within each topic and does not indicate a clinical preference.

Weight management

alli (orlistat 60mg)orlistatAlli is a lower-strength pharmacy product containing orlistat. It is intended for weight management within its product criteria, with dietary and activity changes; the pharmacist should check suitability.Uses, safety & questions Mounjaro (tirzepatide)tirzepatideUnderstand the medicine, the assessment and the care around it. A sourced UK guide to tirzepatide for adults considering or discussing weight-management treatment.Uses, safety & questions Orlistat (and Xenical)orlistatOrlistat reduces the absorption of some dietary fat. It is used with dietary and activity changes for weight management. Prescription products and lower-strength pharmacy products have different supply arrangements.Uses, safety & questions Saxenda (liraglutide)liraglutideSaxenda contains liraglutide, a GLP-1 medicine used for weight management with dietary and activity support. The weight-management product has a different role from products used for diabetes, even where an ingredient is shared.Uses, safety & questions Wegovy (semaglutide)semaglutideWegovy contains semaglutide, a GLP-1 medicine used for weight management with dietary and activity support. The weight-management product has a different role from products used for diabetes, even where an ingredient is shared.Uses, safety & questions

The decision comes before the product

How should I choose a care service?

Which care pathway should I consider?

Ask the GP about local NHS support and referral arrangements. England has a phased primary-care pathway for tirzepatide; other UK nations and specialist services have their own arrangements. If you choose private care, clarify who provides clinical and behavioural support and how care can be continued or transferred.

What safety and follow-up questions matter?

Check pregnancy plans, other medicines, verification of measurements and access to follow-up. The medicine-specific pages explain key warnings and link to current guidance. A symptom such as severe persistent abdominal pain while using a GLP-1 medicine needs urgent clinical attention, not a wait for the next order.

What should I prepare for an appointment?

Take a short account of the concern, current medicines and any previous care. Ask for the decision and next steps in writing. These questions can help you focus the appointment:

How is my health and treatment suitability assessed?
What support accompanies the medicine?
How do we review progress, adverse effects and stopping?

Understand the full commitment

What should a treatment-service quote include?

A medicine price alone cannot describe the whole service. Ask for a dated quote for the exact formulation, quantity and period, and compare the same inclusions. A private prescription does not create an automatic entitlement to NHS continuation.

Assessment and tests: Who assesses you, which tests are separate, and what happens to the fee if treatment is unsuitable?
Supply and administration: Which product, quantity, equipment, delivery or appointment is included?
Monitoring and follow-up: Who reviews results and adverse effects, how often, and with what contact between appointments?
Renewal and cancellation: Is payment automatic, can prices change, and how can you stop or transfer care?

Keep the written terms. Low introductory prices and high subscription fees are not measures of clinical quality. When a cost is not verified, it should remain unknown rather than appear as free.

Common questions

How should I use these weight management guides?

Weight-management care should consider health, eating patterns, activity and practical support. Medicines are one possible part of the plan. A product licence, a NICE recommendation and local NHS funding arrangements answer different questions; meeting a BMI threshold does not automatically approve a prescription.

Can these pages choose a medicine or dose for me?

No. They provide general education and questions for a clinical conversation. The medicine, formulation and instructions must match the assessment and the exact product.

Does every medicine here need a prescription?

Many do. Some specific products are pharmacy medicines with their own suitability checks. The same ingredient can have different supply rules in different products; check with a pharmacist.

Why are there no live price rankings?

A fair comparison needs current evidence for the same product, quantity and clinical support. These guides explain how to request a complete quote; they do not publish unsupported price ranges or imply that an unknown price is zero.

Who publishes and reviews the information?

Pick My Pharmacy publishes the guides using the dated sources shown on each page. No independent clinical review is recorded. Use the current patient leaflet and a healthcare professional for decisions about your care.

Sources and further reading

Public guidance checked 7 September 2026. This topic guide has not been independently clinically reviewed. Individual medicine pages include their own sources and current leaflet links.

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