Weight-loss drug Wegovy.Photo:Steffen Trumpf/picture alliance via Getty
Steffen Trumpf/picture alliance via Getty
Some people onOzempicandWegovyhave experienced mental health issues.
According toReuters, the U.K’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said that it will be reviewing safety data on diabetes drug Ozempic, weight-loss drug Wegovy and other obesity medications after some patients who took the drugs reported thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
MHRA said between 2020 and early June 2023, it received reports of five adverse drug reactions “involving semaglutide” and associated with “suicidal and self-injurious behavior,” Reuters reported.
“Only some of these reports mentioned the medical condition for which the medicine was used for. However, we have received reports from patients using these medicines both for type 2 diabetes and for weight loss,” the MHRA notes.
Type-2 diabetes drug Ozempic.Mario Tama/Getty
Mario Tama/Getty
Novo Nordisk responded to the report.
“Patient safety is our top priority," Dr. Alison Cave, chief safety officer at Novo Nordisk, tells PEOPLE in a statement.
“We are currently reviewing safety data on the risk of suicidal thoughts and thoughts of self-harm associated with medicines known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, used for treating both type 2 diabetes and weight loss,' she says. “We will carefully consider all available evidence and communicate any further advice to patients and healthcare professionals as appropriate.”
News of the safety review arrives shortly after the European Medicines Agency announced it would be investigating GLP-1 drugs for similar reasons in Iceland, perCNBC.
Earlier this week,doctors raised concernsabout drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy after patients were diagnosed with severegastroparesis— or stomach paralysis. The outlet noted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received similar reports.
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The GLP receptor agonists candelay food digestionif taken for extended periods of time, and sources toldCNNthat some patients were diagnosed with stomach paralysis after taking such drugs.
Novo Nordisk acknowledged those concerns in a statement toThe Independent.“Semaglutide has been extensively examined in robust clinical development programs, large real world evidence studies and has cumulatively over 9.5 million patient years of exposure.”
“Gastrointestinal (GI) events are well-known side effects of the GLP-1 class. For semaglutide, the majority of GI side effects are mild to moderate in severity and of short duration. GLP-1’s are known to cause a delay in gastric emptying, as noted in the label of each of our GLP-1 RA medications. Symptoms of delayed gastric emptying, nausea and vomiting are listed as side effects.”
source: people.com
