This story is about suicide. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
THE popular drugs Ozempic and Saxenda, both made by Novo Nordisk in Denmark, are under investigation after a small number of users experienced an increase in thoughts of suicide and self-harm, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has reported.
Three people reported symptoms in Iceland, two linked to Ozempic, one to Saxenda which sparked the EU’s security overhaul, according to multiple reports.
Both drugs are glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists, which have the dual effect of controlling blood sugar and promoting weight loss.
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Ozempic, an injectable semaglutide, is marketed for the management of type 2 diabetes.
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Saxenda, which contains liraglutide, is intended as a weight loss drug.
According to reports, EMA’s Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) will also look into whether other GLP-1 drugs should be studied.
Dr. Marc Siegel, professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a medical contributor to Fox News, noted that “an association doesn’t prove causation.”
“It could have more to do with the people requiring these drugs in the first place, their obesity or other medical or psychological issues could be co-occurring, and they could be unrelated,” she told Fox News Digital.
“That said, this needs to be approached carefully because these drugs (semaglutides) affect hormones in the brain and the impact on nutrition it can also impact brain function,” Siegel added.
The increased risk of suicidal ideation associated with GLP-1 drugs has been known since clinical trials, according to Dr. agency based in Boston.
“This risk is very small, but it is increased compared to placebo,” Fitch told Fox News Digital.
“This data is available in studies, and suicidal ideation is a listed side effect of many of our obesity medications.”
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The effect is also complicated by a patient’s relationship with food, particularly if the patient tends to use food as a coping mechanism for emotions, Fitch said.
“If you take away the desire to eat and some of the satisfaction from eating, that can be emotionally demanding,” she said.
In light of this risk, Fitch emphasized the importance of taking these drugs as part of a comprehensive chronic disease management plan in a supportive clinical model, so that healthcare workers can monitor side effects, make adjustments to your treatment plan, and provide emotional support.
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A Novo Nordisk representative made the following statement.
“GLP-1 receptor agonists have been used to treat type 2 diabetes for more than 15 years and for the treatment of obesity for eight years, including Novo Nordisk products such as semaglutide and liraglutide that have been in the market for UK since 2018 and 2009 respectively.”
“Safety data collected from large clinical trial programs and post-marketing surveillance have not demonstrated a causal association between semaglutide or liraglutide and suicidal and self-harm thoughts.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the company for further comments.
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