By Tami Luhby, Meg Tirrell, CNN
(CNN) — Americans seeking to lose weight now have a new option – taking Wegovy as a daily pill, rather than a weekly injection.
Patients with a prescription could obtain the starter 1.5 mg dose of the tablet as of Monday, with the higher doses becoming available by the end of the week, according to manufacturer Novo Nordisk.
Being able to address obesity with a GLP-1 pill is a significant advance in weight management. Eli Lilly is expected to receive US Food and Drug Administration approval for its oral medication, which is called orforglipron until it receives a brand name, by summer.
But the arrival of an oral option has also sparked a multitude of questions. Here’s what we know:
Where can I get the Wegovy pill?
The tablet form of Wegovy can be found at pharmacies, including CVS and Costco, certain telehealth providers, such as Ro and LifeMD and Weight Watchers, NovoCare Pharmacy, GoodRx and other locations.
Will it be hard to find?
While overwhelming demand led to initial shortages of the GLP-1 injections, Novo Nordisk said it is confident that it can meet the demand for the Wegovy tablet.
The Danish drug maker noted that it has invested in its manufacturing capabilities for several years. The Wegovy pill is produced entirely in its North Carolina facilities.
How much will the pill cost?
The 1.5 mg starter dose of the pill costs $149 a month for patients who pay cash, as part of a recent deal Novo Nordisk made with the Trump administration. The 4 mg dose costs the same amount until April 15, after which the price will increase to $199.
However, the 9 mg and 25 mg doses cost $299 a month.
That compares to a $349 monthly price tag for the injectable version for self-pay consumers, though new patients can receive two months of the lowest two doses for $199 each until March.
Patients whose insurance plans cover the drug for obesity could pay as little as $25 a month for the pill or injection under a savings program offered by Novo Nordisk.
How is the pill different from the injection?
The pill uses the same active ingredient, semaglutide, as the injection. They’re approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the same groups of people: those with obesity, typically defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher, and those with overweight, or a BMI of 27 or more along with a weight-related health issue such as high blood pressure.
The main difference between the two is how you take them – as a daily pill versus a weekly shot. The pill also must be taken on an empty stomach, with a small amount of water and no other food, drink or medicines for at least 30 minutes.
The medicine won’t be effective if patients don’t wait 30 minutes to give the tablet time to absorb, according to Novo Nordisk.
How much weight could I lose?
The Wegovy tablet and injection resulted in similar weight loss in clinical trials.
The pill showed average weight loss of 14% over 64 weeks, compared with 2% for a placebo. The injection showed weight loss of 15% in its