No link between Ozempic and suicide, EU drug regulators say
Controversy surrounding diabetes drug, Ozempic, being used tor weight loss
The diabetes drug, Ozempic, has been in the headlines, causing quite a stir. Senior writer for Drugwatch.com, Terry Turner, joined LiveNow to discuss how some people are ending up in the hospital, for misusing Ozempic as a weight loss drug.
If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lineline for free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
CLICK HERE https://afsp.org/risk-factors-and-warning-signs for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide and CLICK HERE https://988lifeline.org/ for more on the 988 Lifeline.
An evaluation regarding side effects from popular drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity showed no link to a higher risk of suicidal thoughts or actions, drug regulators in Europe announced Friday.
The European Medicines Agency regulatory committee announced the results of its review on April 12. It's the latest group to conclude there's no known tie between obesity drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy and suicide.
An Ozempic (semaglutide) injection pen is seen on a kitchen table. (Credit: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The review by the European Union's regulators was triggered last July by anecdotal reports that people taking the drugs had thoughts of self-harm. The regulators examined studies, post-marketing data and other research related to medications used in nearly a dozen drugs used to treat the diseases. The group did not review information regarding tirzepatide, the medication used in drugs sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound.
FDA finds no link between Ozempic and suicide
In January, the Food and Drug Administration said that it was evaluating reports regarding more than a dozen drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, including Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, and had "not found evidence that use of these medicines causes suicidal thoughts or actions."
RELATED: Ozempic side effects: FDA says drug has no link to suicide
But the agency also noted that officials could not "definitively rule out that small risk may exist," so they were continuing to look into the issue.
The FDA said it would do additional analysis and communicate its final conclusions and recommendations after completing its review or after it had more information to share.
This follows another recent federally funded study that showed that people taking semaglutide, the medication in Ozempic and Wegovy, had a lower risk of suicidal thoughts than those taking other drugs to treat obesity and diabetes.
This story was reported from Los Angeles. The Associated Press contributed.
If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lineline for free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
CLICK HERE https://afsp.org/risk-factors-and-warning-signs for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide and CLICK HERE https://988lifeline.org/ for more on the 988 Lifeline.