LONDON – Weight loss and diabetes injections, once widely praised, are now under scrutiny after reports of severe health issues and at least 10 deaths surfaced in the UK.
Recently, several serious health complications have been linked to injections used for weight loss and diabetes management. Hundreds of people have reported issues like pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), raising concerns about the safety of these popular drugs.
According to the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the following GLP-1 drugs were involved in the reported cases:
- Tirzepatide – 181 cases, 5 deaths
- Liraglutide – 116 cases, 1 death
- Semaglutide – 113 cases, 1 death
- Exenatide – 101 cases, 3 deaths
- Dulaglutide – 52 cases, no deaths
- Lixisenatide – 11 cases, no deaths
Although these deaths haven’t been directly confirmed as caused by the drugs, many patients believe their symptoms started after using the injections.
To dig deeper into the issue, MHRA and Genomics England have launched the “Yellow Card Bio Bank” project. The goal is to understand whether genetics may play a role in how patients react to these medications.
GLP-1 drugs, which mimic a hormone that helps control blood sugar, have helped many people manage type 2 diabetes and lose weight. But side effects like nausea, constipation, and diarrhea are commonly reported.
Officials advise patients not to ignore these risks. Over 1.5 million people are believed to be using these injections. Authorities encourage anyone experiencing severe side effects to report them to MHRA’s Yellow Card Scheme to support further research.