Most complaints about GLP-1 drugs made through the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme were concerning gastrointestinal reactions
More than 150 deaths have been linked to weight loss jabs, according to figures published by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Patients using weight loss medication have filed about 150,000 reports of adverse reactions and serious side-effects.
Thousands of reports have been made about all of the GLP-1 drugs available on the NHS, this includes liraglutide, also known as Saxenda; semaglutide, offered as Wegovy; and tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro.
Weight loss jabs commonly cause mild digestive issues like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, and acid reflux.
But in some instances weight loss drugs have been linked to heart and vascular disorders, nervous system disorders, eye conditions and more serious gastrointestinal issues that have had fatal outcomes.
According to data collected through the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme, which allows patients and medics to report side-effects of medication, Tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro, had the most reports with more than 100,000 complaints of serious and adverse side-effects and 98 fatal outcomes.
In comparison, Semaglutide had just under 50,000 serious reports and adverse reactions and MHRA has potentially linked 37 deaths to the medication, while Liraglutide had almost 4,000 serious reports and adverse reactions and 37 fatal outcomes.
The Yellow Card scheme also reveals the types of side-effects being reported.
For semaglutide 28,884 reports were for reactions that were gastrointestinal in nature, while more than 5,000 were nervous system disorders.
Tirzepatide has 65,024 reports for gastrointestinal reactions and 13,964 for nervous system disorders. It also has more than 2,000 reports of psychiatric disorders. For Liraglutide 1,461 reports were for gastrointestinal reactions.
However, more than one report can be made per patient, meaning these figures are not the total number of individuals making complaints.
Fatal outcomes are not necessarily caused by the medication and could be caused by another issue, such as an undiagnosed illness or condition or using unregulated treatments.
Reports can be made by patients, their relatives, doctors and they are all published with the caveat that the side-effect may have been caused by another condition – such as a stomach bug or virus.
The MHRA highlighted that millions of GLP-1 prescriptions are issued in the UK and these complaints make up just a small fraction, it also cautioned that the number of reports of a side-effect can be influenced by increased use and increased awareness of potential side-effects.
An MHRA spokesperson said: “As with all medicines, the safety of GLP-1’s are kept under continual review including emerging evidence from spontaneous data and scientific publications. Any potential updates regarding the safety for these medicines would be promptly communicated to patients and healthcare professionals, and appropriate steps taken to mitigate any identified risk.
“On the basis of the current evidence, the benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists outweigh the potential risks when used in line with their authorised uses.”
Novo Nordisk spokesperson said the manufacturer cares “deeply about patient safety”.
“Like all medicines, treatments used for chronic conditions can have side effects, and these can vary from person to person. That is why medicines should be prescribed by, and used under the supervision of, a healthcare professional, who can consider the potential benefits and risks for each individual,” a spokesperson added.
An Eli Lilly spokesperson said: “We take reports regarding patient safety seriously and actively monitor, evaluate, and report safety information for all our medicines.
“Regulatory agencies conduct extensive independent assessments of the benefits and risks of every new medicine. Patients taking Mounjaro (tirzepatide), like with any other prescription medicine, may experience adverse events. Adverse events should be reported under the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme.
“Mounjaro (tirzepatide) should only be used when prescribed by a healthcare professional. We encourage patients to consult their doctor or other healthcare professional regarding any side effects they may be experiencing and to ensure that they are getting genuine Lilly medicine.”
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