Wegovy and similar drugs do not increase suicidal thoughts

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Wegovy and similar drugs do not increase suicidal thoughts

Weight loss drugs receive positive news again in the latest U.S. study: Wegovy and similar drugs do not increase suicidal thoughts.

U.S. researchers announced on Jan 05 that there is no evidence suggesting that GLP-1 class weight loss drugs such as Wegovy, owned by Novo Nordisk, pose a risk of suicide to patients.

Previous reports had suggested that some patients developed suicidal and self-harming thoughts after taking Wegovy, Ozempic, and similar weight loss drugs, leading to concerns.

Regulatory agencies in various countries are currently reviewing these claims and have stated that they will take action based on subsequent results.

Wegovy and similar drugs do not increase suicidal thoughts

According to previous data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency has received 265 reports of patients taking these weight loss drugs experiencing suicidal and self-harming thoughts. As a result, the agency has listed suicidal thoughts as a potential safety risk of GLP-1 class drugs.

The latest research published in the prestigious international medical journal Nature Medicine found that, after investigating electronic medical record data from 1.8 million patients with type 2 diabetes or obesity, researchers concluded that the use of semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic) is not associated with an increase in suicidal thoughts. In fact, this drug reduces suicidal thoughts. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist initially used to treat type 2 diabetes, but later found to be effective in weight loss. Recent clinical trials also indicate that GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Researchers compared nearly 53,000 Wegovy users with an equal number of users of other weight loss drugs. The results showed that in the first six months of using Wegovy, 0.11% of users reported their first suicidal thoughts. In comparison, among patients using other drugs such as phentermine, naltrexone, orlistat, topiramate, fenfluramine, or setmelanotide, 0.43% had suicidal thoughts.

After considering other risk factors, researchers found that the risk of first-time suicidal thoughts with Wegovy decreased by 73%. In patients with recurring suicidal thoughts, the risk was 56% lower with Wegovy compared to other weight loss drugs.

In summary, patients using semaglutide have lower risks of both first-time and recurring suicidal thoughts. The report indicates that these risk reductions are consistent across different genders, races, and age groups.

Pamela Davis, a researcher at Case Western Reserve University, emphasized that understanding all potential side effects of new-generation weight loss drugs like semaglutide is crucial due to their popularity. She stated, “It’s important to know that previous claims about this drug potentially triggering suicidal thoughts have not been confirmed in this vast and diverse population. In fact, the use of semaglutide reduces the risk of suicide.”