More than 150 deaths reported after weight loss drug use

Key Points:

• Over 150 deaths have been linked to weight loss injections, with around 150,000 reports of adverse reactions and serious side effects filed through the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme.
• The GLP-1 drugs liraglutide (Saxenda), semaglutide (Wegovy), and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) have all been associated with thousands of reports, with tirzepatide having the highest number of serious side-effect reports and 98 fatal outcomes.
• Common side effects include mild digestive issues, but serious complications such as heart, vascular, nervous system, and gastrointestinal disorders have also been reported, sometimes resulting in death.
• The MHRA emphasizes that fatal outcomes are not necessarily caused by the medications and that millions of prescriptions are issued with these reports representing a small fraction; they continue to monitor safety and maintain that benefits outweigh risks when drugs are used appropriately.
• Manufacturers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly stress the importance of prescribing under medical supervision, ongoing safety monitoring, and encourage patients to report side effects and consult healthcare professionals regarding any adverse reactions.