Drug regulators in Europe have found no evidence that popular diabetes and weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are linked to a higher risk of suicidal thoughts or actions.
The regulatory committee of the European Medicines Agency announced the results of his exam Friday. It’s the latest group to conclude that there is no known link between a new class of obesity drugs and suicide.
In January, the United States Food and Drug Administration said that a preliminary examination showed no evidence of such a link, although the agency said it could not rule out that “a slight risk may exist” and would continue to study the matter. A US study funded by the federal government also found that people taking semaglutide, Ozempic and Wegovy’s drug, had a lower risk of suicidal thoughts than those taking older medications to treat diabetes and obesity.
The review by European Union regulators was triggered last July by anecdotal reports that people taking the drugs had thoughts of self-harm. Regulators have reviewed studies, post-marketing data and other research related to drugs used in nearly a dozen drugs used to treat these conditions. The panel did not review information about tirzepatide, the drug used in medicines sold under the names Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Both agencies said they would continue to closely monitor reports of suicidal thoughts or actions in people taking medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists. Patients taking these medications should report any mental health or other concerns to their health care providers, officials said.
