Weight loss drugs are bringing a lot of pain for people, as you probably know by now. Check out the latest reports and find out what happened.
Weight loss drugs more effects revealed
Reports of suicidal thoughts in patients taking Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have led regulators to scrutinize these drugs more closely.
A recent analysis by Reuters showed that more than half of the adverse event reports received by the U.S. FDA involved suicidal thoughts that occurred shortly after starting or increasing the dosage of these injectable medications.
About 40 percent of those affected found relief after stopping the medication or taking a lower dose. Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic is used to treat type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is approved for the long-term management of obesity or overweight in adults. Mounjaro, a medication from Eli Lilly, is approved for the control of blood sugar in adults with diabetes.
There are three medications that belong to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Regulators have been monitoring these drugs since at least the summer due to safety concerns.
In July, the European Medicines Agency’s safety committee began reviewing data on the risk of suicidal and self-harm thoughts linked to popular brands such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Saxenda.
These three medications contain semaglutide and liraglutide, which are both active ingredients. After analyzing roughly 150 cases, it was found that self-injury and suicidal thoughts were associated with these drugs soon after patients started taking them.
The EMA is expected to conclude their review by November.
The FDA’s Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) has recorded serious adverse reports related to three weight loss medications – Ozempic, Wegovy, and Saxenda.
Since 2018, 6,253 serious adverse reports, including 163 deaths, have been linked to Ozempic.
Wegovy has been associated with over 460 serious cases and 6 fatalities since 2021, while Saxenda has been linked to nearly 2,000 serious reports and 49 deaths since 2015.
It’s worth noting that weight loss medications have been associated with potentially serious mental health side effects such as depression and suicidal thoughts.
For instance, Wegovy’s label explicitly warns of such side effects, and advises patients to monitor any sudden mood changes, behaviors, and feelings. Similarly, liraglutide has been linked to suicidal thoughts and worsened depression in some patients.
It’s not uncommon for weight loss medications to provoke suicidal thoughts. Sanofi’s weight loss drug rimonabant was pulled from European markets in 2008 due to concerns about suicidal ideation.
Although unrelated to GLP-1 medicines, rimonabant reduced hunger through the endocannabinoid system, which serves as a connection between the body and the mind. Rimonabant was never approved in the U.S. due to psychiatric side effects.
