The Inevitable Harms of Weight Loss Drugs

History tells us it's all too predictable.

The European Union is investigating the reports of suicidal thoughts associated with the use of Ozempic® (semaglutide) and Saxenda® (liraglutide). 

The US FDA has received 60 reports of suicidal ideation for patients on semaglutide and 70 on liraglutide. 

Yet, Boris Johnson called semaglutide a “wonder drug” in his first Mail article as a columnist that he hoped would stop his fridge raids. Not a jot about the harm, though.

However, we previously showed in a systematic review that of 25 weight loss drugs approved by regulatory agencies between 1994 and 2003, all were subsequently withdrawn, mainly because of psychiatric and/or cardiovascular adverse drug reactions - deaths were reportedly associated with seven products. 

The obsession with block-buster weight loss drugs subsequently resulted in the development and approval of different groups of centrally acting drugs: the combination medications (naltrexone-bupropion and phentermine-topiramate) and lorcaserin. 

But not much changed: again…