Latest news with #pancreatitis
BreakingNews.ie
19 hours ago
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Pancreatitis cases linked to weight loss jabs
Ireland's medicines watchdog has confirmed a number of reports of pancreatitis linked to weight loss jabs. GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro are under review in the UK after a spike in adverse reactions. Advertisement The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) said the number of Irish cases is very low, but people should consult their doctor if they are concerned. HSE national clinical lead for obesity, Professor Donal O'Shea, said it is important people use these drugs under medical supervision. Prof O'Shea said: "The main side effects are gastrointestinal and that's around nausea, vomiting, constipation, but they can cause unsteadiness and dizziness. "And I've certainly seen people coming into hospital having had falls on these treatements, and again the advice is not to take these unless they are prescribed by a healthcare professional."
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Weight-loss jabs linked to pancreas problems after 10 deaths
Weight-loss jabs have been linked to pancreas problems after 10 patients died. Hundreds of people have reported problems with their pancreas linked to taking weight-loss and diabetes jabs including Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic, prompting health officials to launch a new study into side effects. Ten cases of pancreatitis reported to be linked to GLP-1 medicines (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) have been fatal. Since the GLP-1 medicines were licensed, there have been hundreds of cases of acute and chronic pancreatitis, according to data from the medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). These cases are not confirmed as having been caused by the medicines, but the person who reported them suspected they might be. They include 181 reported cases of acute and chronic pancreatitis linked to tirzepatide - the active ingredient for Mounjaro - and five of those people died. Some 116 reported reactions of this kind were linked to liraglutide, one of which was fatal, while there were 113 cases of acute and chronic pancreatitis linked to semaglutide - the active ingredient for Ozempic and Wegovy - where one person died, and 101 reported reactions of this kind were linked to exenatide, from which three people died. Then there were 52 reported reactions linked to dulaglutide and 11 reported reactions linked to lixisenatide, but no fatalities were linked to either drug. Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, a gland located behind the stomach that aids in digestion and blood sugar regulation. In severe cases it can lead to organ failure. Nonetheless, the Yellow Card Biobank project, launched by the MHRA and Genomics England, will see researchers examine whether cases of pancreatitis linked to GLP-1 drugs may be influenced by genetic makeup. The MHRA is calling for those who are taking GLP-1 medicine, who have been admitted to hospital due to acute pancreatitis, to submit a report to its Yellow Card scheme. When a Yellow Card report is received, the MHRA will contact patients to ask if they would be willing to take part in the study. Patients will be asked to submit more information and a saliva sample, which will be assessed to explore whether some people are at a higher risk of acute pancreatitis when taking these medicines due to their genes. GLP-1 agonists can lower blood sugar levels in people living with type 2 diabetes and can also be prescribed to support some people with weight loss. Recent estimates suggest that about 1.5 million people in the UK are taking weight-loss jabs. Health officials have suggested they can help turn the tide on obesity, but have stressed they are not a silver bullet and do come with side effects. Most side effects linked to the jabs are gastrointestinal including nausea, constipation and diarrhoea. And the medical regulator recently warned that Mounjaro may make the oral contraceptive pill less effective in some patients. Dr Alison Cave, the MHRA's chief safety officer, said: 'Evidence shows that almost a third of side effects to medicines could be prevented with the introduction of genetic testing, it is predicted that adverse drug reactions could cost the NHS more than £2.2 billion a year in hospital stays alone.' She added: 'Information from the Yellow Card Biobank will help us to better predict those most at risk of adverse reactions - enabling patients across the UK to receive the safest medicine for them, based on their genetic makeup. 'To help us help you, we're asking anyone who has been hospitalised with acute pancreatitis while taking a GLP-1 medicine to report this to us via our Yellow Card scheme. 'Even if you don't meet the criteria for this phase of the Biobank study, information about your reaction to a medication is always extremely valuable in helping to improve patient safety.' Professor Matt Brown, chief scientific officer of Genomics England, said: ' GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic and Wegovy have been making headlines, but like all medicines there can be a risk of serious side effects. 'We believe there is real potential to minimise these with many adverse reactions having a genetic cause. 'This next step in our partnership with the MHRA will generate data and evidence for safer and more effective treatment through more personalised approaches to prescription, supporting a shift towards an increasingly prevention-focused healthcare system.'
Sky News
2 days ago
- Health
- Sky News
Why weight loss jabs might not be a wonder drug
👉 Listen to Sky News Daily on your podcast app 👈 Recent years have seen the advent of weight loss drugs, including Ozempic and Wegovy. They work by suppressing users' appetites, leading to weight loss. They've been described as wonder drugs but now, new figures from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) show they may be associated with inflammation of the pancreas, which could lead to death. Niall Paterson speaks to Sky's science correspondent Thomas Moore about these new findings and how cautious they should make us. We also hear from Lorna, a mother who got acute pancreatitis while she was on a weight loss drug - she believes the drugs are not worth the risks.
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Health
- Gizmodo
Spike in Pancreas Problems From Weight-Loss Drugs Prompts Investigation
Ozempic and similar GLP-1 drugs seem to be hurting some people's pancreas. UK health officials are planning to study the link between GLP-1 use and acute pancreatitis, following an increase in reported cases this year. The Guardian reported Tuesday that the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is launching an investigation into pancreatitis associated with the drug class. Hundreds of residents have complained about pancreas problems after taking semaglutide or other recently approved GLP-1s, with many cases documented in 2025 alone. The MHRA will try to determine if some people are genetically vulnerable to this side effect. Newer GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide have revolutionized obesity treatment. Compared to diet and exercise alone, these drugs are much more effective at helping people lose weight. But all drugs have their risks, and GLP-1s are no exception. Common side effects include constipation, nausea, and vomiting, for instance. How Ozempic Works—and What's Still a Mystery Some research has also indicated that GLP-1 can raise the risk of acute pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas. And in fact, pancreatitis is listed as an 'uncommon' reaction on GLP-1 product labeling. The pancreas is a gland behind the stomach that produces enzymes and hormones important to digestion and metabolism, including insulin. Acute pancreatitis commonly causes severe stomach pain, though most cases resolve on their own within a week. The condition is known to cause severe, even life-threatening complications, including organ failure, but only very rarely. One way that regulatory agencies monitor the safety of drugs post-approval is through systems where patients and doctors can voluntarily report adverse events possibly related to a drug or medical device. In the UK, this system is called the Yellow Card scheme. According to the MHRA, almost 400 people in the country have reported acute pancreatitis after they started taking semaglutide, liraglutide, or tirzepatide (the latest approved GLP-1 drug). More than a quarter of these cases were reported this year, and roughly half were tied to tirzepatide. 'Alongside increased usage, we are seeing an upturn in the number of Yellow Card reports mentioning GLP-1 medicines and acute pancreatitis,' an MHRA spokesperson told the Guardian. The MHRA is now hoping to conduct an in-depth analysis of the link between pancreatitis and GLP-1 use. They're encouraging GLP-1 users hospitalized with pancreatitis to report their cases to the Yellow Card Scheme, and to take part in their Yellow Card Biobank study. This study is intended to root out currently unknown genetic factors that might increase the risk of side effects from certain medications—a list that now includes GLP-1 drugs. 'Sometimes genes can influence the side-effects an individual experiences when taking a medicine, so in the context of the increasing usage of these medicines and the reports of acute pancreatitis we have received, we are exploring this further,' the MHRA said. Some studies have failed to show an increased risk of pancreatitis linked to GLP-1 use, at least among some population groups. Pancreatitis can also be indirectly caused by weight loss in general, since weight loss, especially if rapid, can lead to the formation of gallstones, a common contributor to acute pancreatitis. Studies have failed to find evidence that GLP-1 use can cause pancreatic cancer, a possible complication of pancreatitis, so there's still some uncertainty about the exact nature of harm that GLP-1s can cause to the pancreas. Hopefully, the MHRA's study will provide some needed insight on this possible side effect, including whether some people are more at risk for it than others.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Weight loss jabs study begins after reports of pancreas issues
A study into potential serious side effects of weight loss jabs has been launched after hundreds of people reported problems with their pancreas. The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Genomics England are asking people on weight loss drugs who have been hospitalised by acute pancreatitis to get in touch. There have been hundreds of reports of acute and chronic pancreatitis from people who have taken drugs such as Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy, although none are confirmed as being caused by the medicines. The aim is to "better predict those most at risk of adverse reactions", said MHRA chief safety officer Dr Alison Cave. The study is being run through the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme, which allows anyone to report an issue with a medicine, vaccine or medical device to help identify safety issues as early as possible Patients aged 18 and over, with bad reactions to the weight loss jabs - which are also licensed for type 2 diabetes - are being asked to report the detail on the Yellow Card website. They will then be asked if they would be willing to take part in the study, which will check whether some people are at a higher genetic risk of acute pancreatitis when taking these medicines. Patients will be asked to submit more information and a saliva sample, with the overall aim of reducing the occurrence of the side effects in future, says the MHRA. Cases recorded on the Yellow Card website up until 13 May this year include 10 in which patients, who were using weight loss drugs, died from the effects of pancreatitis - but it is not clear whether other factors also played a part. It is impossible to know exactly how many people in the UK are on weight loss drugs as many users obtain them online through unregulated sources, rather than through their doctors. Health officials have suggested the jabs could help turn the tide on obesity. However, they have also warned the drugs are not a silver bullet and often come with side effects, commonly including nausea, constipation and diarrhoea. And the MHRA has also warned that Mounjaro could make the oral contraceptive pill less effective for some patients. Strict rules as GPs start to prescribe weight loss jab Mounjaro How do weight loss drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy work? Weight-loss drugs tested in head-to-head trial Dr Alison Cave, the MHRA's chief safety officer said information from the study "will help us to better predict those most at risk of adverse reactions, enabling patients across the UK to receive the safest medicine for them, based on their genetic make-up". She said evidence showed almost a third of side effects to medicines could be prevented with genetic testing. "It is predicted that adverse drug reactions could cost the NHS more than £2.2bn a year in hospital stays alone," she added. Prof Matt Brown, chief scientific officer at Genomics England, said: "GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic and Wegovy have been making headlines, but like all medicines there can be a risk of serious side effects. "We believe there is real potential to minimise these, with many adverse reactions having a genetic cause." He said the next step would be to "generate data and evidence for safer and more effective treatment through more personalised approaches to prescription, supporting a shift towards an increasingly prevention-focused healthcare system".
