The medicines watchdog has received reports of ten deaths linked to the use of weight-loss injections, it revealed.
There have also been 7,228 reports of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea associated with companies such as Wegovy and Ozempic.
Of those, 68 patients were admitted to hospital, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said.
The figures are based on users or healthcare workers reporting adverse reactions to the drugs, known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), to the regulator.
A reported death or adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that it was caused by the drug, just that someone had a suspicion that it may have been that way.
Underlying or concurrent diseases and other medications that patients may have taken at the time of their death may be responsible and such events may also be coincidental, he told the trade journal Chemist and Druggist.
Last week, the MHRA urged healthcare 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 knew of 46 hospitalizations as of Aug. 16, suggesting there have been 22 additional reports in two months, representing a 48 percent increase.
The medicines watchdog has received reports of ten deaths linked to the use of weight-loss injections, it revealed yesterday.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said the injections are not “cosmetic” treatments and should only be used by obese people who have failed to lose weight through diet.
The alert warned healthcare professionals to “be aware that there have been reports of possible misuse of GLP-1RA for off-label indications, such as cosmetic weight loss.”
The regulator said that “healthcare professionals should… be alert for signs of misuse of these medicines in their patients, warn them that they are at risk of side effects and report any adverse reactions.”
It added that patients should also be warned about the risk of counterfeit GLP-1RA weight loss medicines if they are not prescribed by a registered healthcare professional and note that some counterfeit medicines have been found to contain insulin.
A doctor warned in June that “at some point, we’re going to have a death” after a “young woman” was rushed to A&E for treatment with life-threatening symptoms.
I had obtained Wegovy through Boots Online Doctor.
Wegovy is licensed for use as a weight loss vaccine and Ozempic, which contains the same drug in a different dose, is used in the treatment of diabetes, although some people have been using it to lose fat.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said the injections are not “cosmetic” treatments and should only be used by obese people who have failed to lose weight through diet and exercise.
They should also be prescribed and used responsibly and under medical supervision, he added.
The NHS-backed OpenPrescribing data source shows soaring prescriptions for semaglutide, the drug in Ozempic and Wegovy.
Streeting, who has proposed giving unemployed obese people injections to get them back to work, said: “Weight loss drugs have huge potential.”
“When taken together with a healthy diet and exercise, they can be a game-changer in combating obesity and returning people to good health.
‘But these are not cosmetic medications that should be taken to help achieve a beautiful body image for Instagram.
‘These are serious medications and should only be used responsibly and under medical supervision.
‘They are not a quick solution to lose a few kilos and buying them online without proper evaluation can put people’s health at risk.
“Approved weight management medications should only be used by those struggling with obesity, where diet and exercise have been tried first and where patients are eligible.”
Last month, the General Pharmaceutical Council announced plans to consult on a number of “additional safeguards” to be offered by online pharmacies offering weight-loss drugs.
These included properly verifying information provided by patients.
The proposals would require pharmacies that prescribe or supply medications “associated with increased risks, including those used for weight loss,” to “independently verify the person’s weight, height and/or body mass index (BMI)” .