Can Ozempic Cause Suicidal Thoughts? Here’s What The Research Says

Topline

GLP-1 diabetes and weight loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Saxenda are being investigated by the European Union for causing suicidal thoughts, and while drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk denies a connection between suicide and its drugs, some studies and case reports suggest there could be a potential link.

Key Facts

News Peg

The European Medicines Agency is investigating Novo Nordisk after several patients taking Ozempic and Saxenda reported thoughts of self-harm. The agency will investigate the potential mental health side effects of GLP-1 drugs containing semaglutide and liraglutide. On Tuesday, the EMA announced the investigation will extend to other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines, like Wegovy. The agency is reviewing 150 reports of cases of possible suicidal thoughts and self-injury. The probe is expected to end in November. Novo Nordisk told CNBC “patient safety is a top priority,” and denied a link between suicidal thoughts and its drugs.

Key Background

Manufactured by Novo Nordisk, both Ozempic and Wegovy are once-weekly injections used to regulate blood sugar in type 2 diabetics. Though only Wegovy is FDA approved for weight loss, some doctors prescribe Ozempic off-label for weight management. Saxenda is a once-daily injection approved for weight loss and also manufactured by Novo Nordisk. Although all three medications’ main side effects are gastrointestinal issues, there have been several reported cases of suicidal thoughts from patients while taking these medications. According to the Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Event Reporting System Public Dashboard, since 2018 there have been 60 reported cases of suicidal ideation and seven suicide attempts from patients taking semaglutide. There have been 71 cases of suicidal ideation and 28 cases of suicide attempts from patients taking liraglutide since 2010. In a study published in Drug Design, Development and Therapy, researchers warned against prescribing semaglutide to patients with a history of suicidal attempts or active suicidal thoughts.

Tangent

In clinical trials for semaglutide and liraglutide, patients were excluded from studies if they had a history of suicidal attempts, suicidal behavior within 30 days of screening, a history of depression within two years of screening and diagnosis of any severe mental health disorder, like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Surprising Fact

There have been several suicide attempts by using GLP-1 receptor agonists—a of type 2 diabetes medicine that is often used for weight management—with the first known case being a 33-year-old Japanese woman who attempted suicide using liraglutide, according to a study published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. Suicide also was linked to exenatide, another GLP-1 receptor agonist, as a cause of death in a clinical trial published in Diabetes Care.

Further Reading

EU Investigates Ozempic Maker After Reports Of Suicidal Thoughts (Forbes)

What To Know About Ozempic: The Diabetes Drug Becomes A Viral Weight Loss Hit (Elon Musk Boasts Using It) Creating A Shortage (Forbes)

Wegovy Shortage: Drug Maker Limits Distribution—Here’s When Supplies Should Improve (Forbes)