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Medscape
4 days ago
- Business
- Medscape
MHRA Urges Contraception With GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reiterated that women using weight-loss drugs must use effective contraception, as the risks of these drugs to a foetus remain unclear. The warning follows concerns that some users in the UK may not be taking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) safely. To date, the MHRA has received more than 40 reports relating to pregnancies in women taking these medications. 'These medicines must not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant, or during breastfeeding,' the MHRA stated. Women who become pregnant while using these drugs should stop treatment immediately and consult a healthcare professional. There is not enough safety data to determine if the drugs could harm a developing baby, the agency said. Avoid Unregulated Sellers, MHRA Warns The MHRA also warned against buying these drugs from unregulated sources such as beauty salons or via social media. 'Not only does this expose people wanting to lose weight to serious health risks, it is also against the law to sell these medicines in this way,' said Dr Alison Cave, the MHRA's chief safety officer. The agency emphasised that weight-loss drugs should not be taken without first consulting a healthcare professional. 'The only way to guarantee receiving a genuine GLP-1 medicine is to obtain it from a legitimate pharmacy,' Cave said. Pharmacies Seeing High Demand 'Community pharmacies have been experiencing unprecedented levels of interest for weight loss injections,' said Jasmine Shah, medication safety officer at the National Pharmacy Association. 'It is therefore important that regulations and guidance keep pace with this demand.' Mounjaro May Lower Effectiveness of Oral Contraceptives The MHRA noted that Mounjaro (tirzepatide) may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in people with overweight or obesity. Women taking Mounjaro should use a non-oral contraceptive method for 4 weeks after starting the drug and for 4 weeks after any dose increase. This advice applies only to Mounjaro users. Patients are also advised to be alert for signs of acute pancreatitis. Risks in Pregnancy Remain Unclear 'There is hardly any available data from human studies to be able to advise if these weight loss drugs are safe in pregnancy,' said Rebecca Reynolds, professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Edinburgh. 'The data from animal studies suggests the potential for harm with low birthweight and skeletal abnormalities, though more evidence is needed to assess if there are risks of taking these drugs in humans,' she told the Science Media Centre (SMC). Dr Bassel Wattar, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals, supported the MHRA's warning. 'There is some data from animal studies suggesting there is a risk of malformation to the foetus — in animals falling pregnant while taking GLP-1 agonists — but data remains limited in humans,' he said. However, Dr Caroline Ovadia, senior clinical lecturer in obstetrics at the University of Edinburgh, noted to the SMC that existing human cohort studies had not shown clear evidence of harm. Online Buyers May Miss Safety Guidance Although direct evidence linking GLP-1 drugs to contraceptive failure is limited, the high number of users means even a small risk could have public health implications, experts warned. Professor Ying Cheong, consultant in reproductive medicine at the University of Southampton, speaking to the SMC, said that gastrointestinal side effects, such as vomiting and diarrhoea, could impair oral contraceptive absorption, increasing the risk of unintended pregnancy. 'Many people are buying weight loss drugs online and so may not receive this important advice about contraception,' Reynolds pointed out. 'These are not harmless lifestyle drugs,' stressed Cheong. 'The public urgently needs to understand that these medications require proper medical supervision to avoid unintended harm, particularly to reproductive health.'
ABC News
4 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
UK medicine regulator warns that women taking Mounjaro, Ozempic need to use effective contraception
Women in the UK have been urged to use effective contraception if they are using weight loss drugs after dozens of reports of unintentional pregnancies from people taking the medication. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) warning said women taking popular "skinny jabs" like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy should "use a barrier form of contraception and do not rely on oral contraception." The warning comes after the agency received 40 reports relating to unintended pregnancies while using such weight loss drugs. Ying Cheong, a consultant in reproductive medicine at the University of Southampton, called the MHRA's advice "both timely and necessary". "Gastrointestinal side-effects such as vomiting and diarrhoea can impair oral contraceptive absorption, increasing the risk of unintended pregnancy," she said. The warning from the MHRA urged women to use "effective contraception while taking these medicines and, in some cases, for up to two months between stopping the medicine and trying to get pregnant." It also made clear that these drugs "must not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant, or during breastfeeding." "Anyone who gets pregnant while using them should speak to their healthcare professional and stop the medicine as soon as possible… because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby," it added. Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said "skinny jabs are medicines licensed to treat specific medical conditions and should not be used as aesthetic or cosmetic treatments." Rebecca Reynolds, a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said there was "hardly any available data from human studies" to know if the weight loss drugs were safe in pregnancy. "The data from animal studies suggests the potential for harm with low birth-weight and skeletal abnormalities, though more evidence is needed to assess if there are risks of taking these drugs in humans," she added. The MHRA also warned about the impact of another weight-loss and diabetes injection, Mounjaro, on the effectiveness of oral contraception for people who are overweight. "Those taking Mounjaro who are overweight and are using an oral form of contraception are advised to also use a non-oral form of contraception," it said. The MHRA also added a reminder to people that these medicines "should not be bought from unregulated sellers such as beauty salons or via social media", or taken without a a prescription from a doctor. "Not only does this expose people wanting to lose weight to serious health risks, it is also against the law to sell these medicines in this way," the statement said. ABC/AFP
