19 hours ago
Fat jab warning as more than 100 deaths linked to weight loss drugs, watchdog warns
WEIGHT loss jabs. including Mounjaro and Wegovy, have been linked to more than 100 deaths in the UK, new figures have revealed.
But none of the fatalities are proven to have been caused directly by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-RA) medicines.
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The GLP-1 RA linked to most deaths through reports was liraglutide, which is sold under the brand name Sazenda for weight management
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A total of 111 "suspected adverse drug reactions with a fatal outcome" have been logged by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) up to and including May 29 - since the jabs were licensed for us in the UK.
Reports of the fatalities' side effects indicate "suspicion" the jabs may have been to blame.
Responding to a freedom of information (FOI) request from Chemist + Druggist (C+D), the MHRA added: "Underlying or previously undiagnosed illness unrelated to the medicine can also be factors in such reports."
Also, that the number of reports "does not directly equate to the number of people who suffer adverse reactions and therefore cannot be used to determine the incidence of a reaction or compare the safety profile of different medicines".
It explained the number of adverse reaction reports can increase for various reasons, including increased use of the drugs.
The drugs - which are also used to treat diabetes - have soared in popularity since Wegovy and Mounjaro were launched for the use of weight loss in the UK in 2023.
From the point of licensing until the end of May, the GLP-1 RA linked to most deaths through reports was liraglutide, which is sold under the brand name Sazenda for weight management.
There were 37 reports with a fatal outcome.
The second most mentioned drug in the reports was tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro, with 33 reports.
And 30 deaths were linked to semaglutide, which is licensed for weight loss under the name Wegovy.
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A further seven reports were linked to dulaglutide and five to lixisenatide.
The MHRA added that of the 111 fatal reports it had received, 32 involved jabs indicated for "weight management alone" or the drug was "only licensed for weight management - Mounjaro, Saxenda, Wegovy".
And 40 reports related to drugs with an indication for "diabetes alone", it added.
Another nine reports referred to patients taking GLP-1 RAs for "both weight management and diabetes".
And 30 reported a fatal outcome "with an indication other than weight management or diabetes, or where no indication has been reported".
The MHRA's 'Yellow Card' database - established in the UK in 1964 in the wake of the thalidomide scandal - tracks the safety of medications currently in use in Britain.
It told C+D: "All adverse reaction reports received by the Yellow Card Scheme are individually assessed and cumulative information reviewed at regular intervals.
"If appropriate, regulatory action would be taken if any serious risks were confirmed."
A spokesperson for Eli Lilly UK, the company that manufacturers Mounjaro, said patient safety is a "top priority".
It also told Mail Online: "Regulatory agencies conduct extensive independent assessments of the benefits and risks of every new medicine and Lilly is committed to continually monitoring, evaluating, and reporting safety data.
"If anyone is experiencing side effects when taking any Lilly medicine, they should talk to their doctor or other healthcare professional."
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk told Sun Health: "Patient safety is of the utmost importance to Novo Nordisk.
"GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have been used to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D) for more than 15 years including Novo Nordisk GLP-1 RA products such as semaglutide and liraglutide that have been on the market for more than 10 years. Semaglutide has been extensively examined in robust clinical development programmes and real world evidence studies.
"A total of more than 25,000 participants have been exposed to semaglutide injection for T2D (Ozempic), oral semaglutide for T2D (Rybelsus) and semaglutide injection for weight management (Wegovy) in completed clinical studies conducted by Novo Nordisk.
"We recommend patients take these medications for their approved indications and under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Treatment decisions should be made together with a healthcare provider who can evaluate the appropriateness of using a GLP-1 based on assessment of a patient's individual medical profile.
"We continuously collect safety data on our marketed GLP-1 RA medicines and work closely with the authorities to ensure patient safety. As part of this work we continue to monitor reports of adverse drug reactions through routine pharmacovigilance.
"We recommend that any patient experiencing side effects while taking GLP receptor agonists including Wegovy, Ozempic or Rybelsus report them to their healthcare provider and via the MHRA Yellow Card scheme:
Like all medicines, weight loss injections can cause side effects.
These can range from mild, like nausea and vomiting, to more serious, though rare, issues such as pancreatitis or gallbladder problems.
Sometimes the side effects can prove positive - one woman claims they cured her addictive personality.
