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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is reviewing the safety of five diabetes and weight loss treatments following reports that GLP-1 drugs may be linked to thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
According to Reuters, the drugs which are under review are:
- Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic (semaglutide)
- Novo Nordisk’s Saxenda (liraglutide)
- AstraZeneca’s Bydureon (exenatide)
- Sanofi’s Lyxumia (lixisenatide)
- Eli Lilly’s Trulicity (dulaglutide)
GLP-1 receptor agonists have been shown to help patients control blood sugar and boost weight loss by creating a feeling of fullness. The drugs work by mimicking a hormone known as a glucagon-like-peptide (GLP-1), which is released after eating.
17 patients taking semaglutide or liraglutide have reported suicidal or self-injurious behaviour to MHRA
The review comes after the Icelandic medicines agency reported two cases of suicidal thoughts or self-injury in patients taking Saxenda (liraglutide), and one of suicidal thoughts after taking Ozempic (semaglutide).
The MHRA has now revealed that it has received five reports of suspected adverse drug reactions involving semaglutide associated with “suicidal and self-injurious behaviour” since 2020.
Furthermore, since 2010, the MHRA has received 12 suspected adverse drug reactions involving liraglutide also associated with “suicidal and self-injurious behaviour”.
In the UK, Ozempic and Saxenda have both been approved for patients with type 2 diabetes. While Saxenda can also be prescribed solely for weight loss purposes, Ozempic is currently only prescribed for diabetes patients.
However, Wegovy, which is the same drug sold under a different brand name, has been approved by the NHS for weight loss purposes.
EMA expect their review to conclude in November
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is also currently investigating GLP-1 drugs. So far, it says it has retrieved around 150 reports of possible cases linking self-injury and suicidal thoughts to GLP-1 receptor agonists.
However, it is not yet clear whether the reported cases are linked to the medicines themselves or to the patients’ underlying conditions or other factors.
The EMA expect their review to conclude in November 2023, while the MHRA told Reuters that their review is “ongoing” and a response will be provided “within the requested timelines.”