Storing Foundayo tablets comes down to one short instruction, worth reading exactly as the UK label gives it. Section 6.4 of the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for Foundayo (orforglipron) says: "Store in the original package in order to protect from light. This medicinal product is light sensitive. This medicinal product does not require any special temperature storage conditions." Blister, light, no fridge and no temperature figure.
This guide applies those sentences to real situations, from a bathroom cabinet to airport security, using the Foundayo SmPC and patient information leaflet on the emc and official travel guidance. It is information only, not medical advice: Foundayo is a prescription-only medicine, and a qualified prescriber decides whether it suits you. The daily routine is in our step-by-step guide to taking Foundayo and meals in can you take Foundayo with food.
Storing Foundayo tablets: what the label says, word for word
The leaflet (section 5) repeats the light sentences, "medicine" replacing "medicinal product", and is silent on temperature. It adds the standard lines: keep it out of the sight and reach of children, and do not use it after the expiry date printed on the carton and blister after "EXP", which refers to the last day of that month. The SmPC gives a shelf life of two years (section 6.3).
Notice what is absent: no "store below" figure, no instruction to refrigerate or to avoid refrigeration, nothing about humidity. This guide adds no figure of its own.
Why the blister matters
The reason the label gives is light. Section 6.5 of the SmPC describes the container as cold-formable aluminium foil blisters sealed with aluminium foil lidding, in packs of 30 or 90 tablets (not all pack sizes may be marketed). Each tablet stays sealed in the blister until you take it. Once it leaves the blister, that protection is gone. The label does not mention moisture, and this guide does not add it.
What not to do
- Pill organisers. The label's instruction is the original package, and one NHS trust's home-storage advice (United Lincolnshire Hospitals) says to use pill boxes with caution. Ask a pharmacist before moving Foundayo out of the blister.
- Sunny spots. A windowsill or a dashboard is the light exposure the label asks you to prevent. If a tablet has been out of the blister for a while, ask a pharmacist whether it is still fine to take.
- Bathrooms, kitchens and radiators. The Foundayo label sets no temperature or humidity limit. The same trust advises a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, heat and moisture, avoiding kitchens, bathrooms, sinks and radiators; a drawer or cupboard away from those spots meets both.
- Hot cars. The label gives no figure to judge a pack left in a parked car, so treat it as a doubtful pack (below).
- Expired packs. Do not use the medicine after the expiry date on the carton and blister.
Travelling by air with Foundayo
GOV.UK's hand-luggage rules for UK airports list tablets and capsules as allowed in hand luggage and say no proof of prescription is needed for medicine in tablet form; proof is needed only for liquid medicine in a container over 100 ml. The factsheet nhs.uk points readers to, from NaTHNaC (the National Travel Health Network and Centre), goes further: carry medicines in hand luggage in their original pharmacy packaging, with a copy of the prescription and a letter from the prescriber; pack enough for the whole trip plus possible delays; and check the destination country's rules on bringing medicines in, through its embassy or the government's foreign travel advice.
Foundayo needs no fridge, so there is no cool bag or ice pack to manage. That is a practical difference from the Mounjaro and Wegovy pens, whose own SmPCs say to keep them in a refrigerator before first use. The leaflet also warns that Foundayo's very common stomach side effects can cause dehydration and asks you to drink enough fluids; our side effects page lists the warning signs. Foundayo is a black-triangle medicine under additional monitoring, and suspected side effects can be reported through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
Time zones and the once-daily dose
The label's dosing words are simple: once daily at any time of day; if you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember; never more than one tablet in a day. It says nothing about time zones, so the one hard limit on a long journey is one tablet per day. If a crossing leaves you unsure whether you have doubled up or skipped a day, ask a pharmacist before taking another tablet. Dose changes stay with the prescriber, each step held for at least 30 days, as our dosage schedule guide and dosage page set out.
Damaged, heat-exposed or doubtful packs
The Foundayo label does not say what to do with a split blister, a soaked carton or a pack that spent an afternoon on a dashboard. The NHS trust cited above advises not using medicine that has changed colour, texture, smell or size, even before its expiry date. Otherwise, ask a pharmacist who can see the pack. If a pack looked damaged or wrong when you received it, GOV.UK says a poor-quality medicine can be reported through the Yellow Card scheme.
Disposing of unused Foundayo tablets
Section 5 of the leaflet says not to throw medicines away via wastewater or household waste, and to ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines you no longer use; the SmPC (section 6.6) says to dispose of any unused product in accordance with local requirements. So the bin and the toilet are out, and a pharmacy is the route. The leaflet adds that the medicine is prescribed for you only and should not be passed on. Our FAQ page covers related questions.
Frequently asked questions
Does Foundayo need to be kept in the fridge, and at what temperature?
No fridge, and no figure. Section 6.4 of the UK SmPC says the product does not require any special temperature storage conditions; the only instruction is to keep it in the original package to protect it from light.
Can I take Foundayo in my hand luggage?
Yes, at UK airports: GOV.UK lists tablets as allowed in hand luggage, with no proof of prescription needed. The NaTHNaC factsheet the NHS website points to advises original packaging, a copy of the prescription with a prescriber's letter, and checking the destination country's rules.
How do I take Foundayo when I change time zones?
The label gives no time-zone instruction. It says once daily, at any time of day, and never more than one tablet in a day. If you are unsure whether you have already taken today's tablet, ask a pharmacist before taking another.
What should I do if my Foundayo pack was left in a hot car?
The label sets no temperature limit, so there is no number to judge it by. Keep the whole pack, carton included, and ask a pharmacist whether it can still be used.
How do I dispose of Foundayo tablets I no longer need?
The leaflet says not to throw medicines away via wastewater or household waste, and to ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines you no longer use. Take unused tablets back to a pharmacy.
Sources
- Foundayo film-coated tablets — Summary of Product Characteristics (sections 4.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 and 6.6; text revised 10 August 2026). emc. medicines.org.uk
- Foundayo film-coated tablets — Patient Information Leaflet (sections 2, 3, 4 and 5; revised August 2026). emc. medicines.org.uk
- Mounjaro KwikPen and Wegovy FlexTouch — Summaries of Product Characteristics (section 6.4). emc. Mounjaro, Wegovy
- GOV.UK. Hand luggage restrictions at UK airports: medicines. gov.uk
- NaTHNaC. Medicines and travel, factsheet 43 (updated 24 October 2025), where nhs.uk's medicines-abroad page redirects. travelhealthpro.org.uk
- United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust. Storing medicines at home. ulh.nhs.uk
- MHRA Yellow Card scheme; GOV.UK, Report a problem with a medicine or medical device. yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk, gov.uk