Bloomberg (8/20, Kresge, Subscription Publication) reports, “A new study that found evidence of a higher rate of suicidal thoughts among patients taking Novo Nordisk A/S’s popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs is adding to a debate among doctors about the drugs’ safety.”
STAT (8/20, Chen , Subscription Publication) says that after analyzing “a World Health Organization database that tracks suspected adverse drug reactions,” investigators discovered “a 45% greater rate of reports of suicidal thoughts associated with semaglutide, the ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, compared with all other drugs in the database.” After comparing “semaglutide specifically against other diabetes and obesity drugs – including Farxiga, metformin, and orlistat –” investigators “again saw a higher rate of suicidal ideation reported for semaglutide.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
Related Links:
— “Ozempic Suicide Debate Stoked by Study Into Potential Link,”Naomi Kresge, Bloomberg, August 20, 2024