The drug watchdog said it had received reports of 10 deaths linked to the use of weight loss injections.
Additionally, there have been 7,228 reports of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea associated with drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic.
Of these, 68 patients were hospitalized, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
This number is based on users or healthcare professionals who report adverse reactions to drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) to regulatory authorities.
A reported death or side effect doesn’t necessarily mean the drug was the cause, just that someone suspected it might be the case.
The cause could be due to underlying medical conditions, co-morbidities, or other drugs the patient was taking at the time of death, and such events could also be coincidental, the magazine told trade journal Chemist and Druggist. Ta.
Last week, the MHRA called on health professionals to “report cases of misuse” and “inform patients about common and serious side effects associated with GLP-1RAs”.
At the time, it said it was aware of 46 hospitalizations as of August 16, which suggests an additional 22 cases had been reported in two months, an increase of 48%.
The medicines watchdog revealed yesterday that it had received reports of 10 deaths linked to the use of weight loss injections.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the injection was not a “cosmetic” treatment and should only be used for obese people who have been unable to change their weight with diet.
The alert warned medical professionals to “be aware of the reported potential misuse of GLP-1RAs for unlicensed indications such as cosmetic weight loss.”
The regulator said: “Health care professionals… should be on the lookout for signs of misuse of these medicines in patients, warn patients of the risk of side effects, and report any side effects.”
It also warns patients about the dangers of counterfeit GLP-1RA drugs for weight loss if not prescribed by a registered health professional, and some counterfeit drugs have been found to contain insulin. He added that it is necessary to be aware that there are
In June, doctors warned that a “young girl” would “eventually die” after she was rushed to A&E for treatment with life-threatening symptoms.
She got Wegovy through Boots Online Doctor.
Wigoby is approved for use as a weight loss drug, and Ozempic, which contains different doses of the same drug, is used to treat diabetes, while some people use it as a fat remover.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the injection was not a “cosmetic” treatment and should only be used for obese people who have been unable to change their weight through diet or exercise.
They also need to be prescribed and used responsibly under medical supervision, he added.
NHS-backed data source OpenPrescribing shows rising prescription costs for Ozempic and Wegovy’s drug semaglutide
Mr Streeting, who proposed giving jabs to obese unemployed people to get them back to work, said there was “huge potential for weight loss drugs”.
“When taken alongside a healthy diet and exercise, it could be a game-changer in tackling obesity and restoring people to good health.”
“But these are not beauty pills you should take to take pictures of your beautiful body for Instagram.
“These are serious drugs and should only be used responsibly and under medical supervision.
“They are not a quick-fix solution to shed a few pounds, and buying them online without proper evaluation can put people’s health at risk.
“Medications approved for weight management should only be used in people dealing with obesity if diet and exercise have been tried first and the patient is eligible.”
The General Medicines Council last month announced plans to consult on a number of “additional safety measures” that online pharmacies offering weight loss drugs must provide.
This includes properly verifying information provided by patients.
The proposal would require pharmacies that prescribe or supply medicines “associated with greater risks, including those used for weight loss purposes” to “independently measure an individual’s weight, height, and/or body mass index (BMI).” It will be mandatory to verify the
