Wegovy: No evidence of 'causal' link between semaglutide and suicide
A “thorough review” by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has found that evidence “does not support” a link between suicidal ideation and diabetes and weight management drug semaglutide.
The MHRA “has concluded that the available evidence does not establish a causal relationship between Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and suicidal behaviour, suicidal ideation, self-injury and depression”, it yesterday (September 4) announced.
The finding comes after a “potential safety risk was identified associated with the GLP-1 receptor agonists exenatide, lixisenatide, liraglutide, dulaglutide and semaglutide”, the medicines regulator said.
Read more: Wegovy: Regulators removing ‘around 100’ social media POM ads every day
At the time, “an initial review of post-marketing reports” flagged a risk of “suicidal thoughts and self-harm” in connection with the drugs, it added.
Last September, diabetes drug semaglutide was made available for weight management in the UK under the brand name Wegovy.
“In the interest of patient safety”
Now, “in the interest of patient safety following reports of these side effects”, “safety reviews” have been carried out by the market authorisation holders, the MHRA said.
“Following a thorough review”, the regulator said it concluded “that the available data does not support a causal association” between the drugs and the psychiatric reactions, it added.
Read more: MHRA approves weight loss jab Wegovy to ‘prevent’ heart problems in UK ‘first’
“Therefore, no updates to the product information are warranted at this time,” it said.
“The MHRA will continue to closely monitor the risk of severe psychiatric reactions associated with these receptor agonists and will assess new data as it becomes available,” it added.
Wegovy worries
In July, the MHRA approved the use of semaglutide injections to “reduce the risk” of “serious heart problems” in overweight adults in a first for the UK.
Meanwhile this week, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) told C+D that it is “removing around 100 posts” advertising prescription-only medicines (POMs) on social media “a day”.
The ASA said that it is “proactively finding and removing ads for POMs, including for weight loss products, using [its] artificial intelligence (AI) based active ad monitoring system”.
The stats came as health minister Karin Smyth said that the Department of Health and Social Care (DH) is “concerned…about some online prescribing, including the prescribing of weight loss medicines by online businesses”.
And in June, health secretary Wes Streeting revealed plans for “much closer clinical oversight and regulation” around accessing weight loss drugs from online pharmacies, after C+D revealed that increasing numbers of people were turning up at A&E needing treatment after taking weight loss drugs.
Read more: Wegovy: 'I really hope the NHS crack down on this. I am forever traumatised by what happened'
At the time, C+D exclusively reported that a “young girl” was rushed to A&E for urgent treatment after presenting with life threatening symptoms after taking weight loss drug Wegovy that she had obtained through Boots Online Doctor.
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