Deadly side effects tied to popular weight loss jabs like Ozempic and Wegovy have raised urgent concerns, NaijNaira can report, as a new study investigates possible genetic links to severe health risks.
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), cited by The Independent, is working with Genomics England to explore whether genetics play a role in how some people react to GLP-1 medications.
More than 560 cases of acute and chronic pancreatitis have been reported by patients using these drugs. While not all are confirmed to be caused by the medication, health authorities are treating the correlation seriously.
Tirzepatide, the ingredient in Mounjaro, was connected to five deaths among 181 reports of pancreas issues. Liraglutide had one death among 116 reports, while semaglutide—the active compound in Ozempic and Wegovy—was linked to one death from 113 cases.
Exenatide was connected to three fatalities, while dulaglutide and lixisenatide had dozens of reports but no deaths recorded.
Dr Alison Cave of the MHRA said, “Almost a third of side effects could be avoided with genetic testing. This data can help us match people to safer medications.”
The Yellow Card Biobank is now calling on anyone hospitalized for pancreatitis while on GLP-1 drugs to report their case and possibly submit a saliva sample for testing.
Professor Matt Brown of Genomics England added, “Adverse reactions may be rooted in genetics. Personalised medicine can help prevent future harm.”
GLP-1 agonists are used to treat type 2 diabetes and assist with weight loss, but they’re not without risk. Side effects like nausea and diarrhoea are common, and a recent warning suggested Mounjaro might weaken the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.
About 1.5 million people in the UK are estimated to be using weight loss jabs, underlining the importance of this investigation for public safety.
Article updated 4 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
