People Who Take Ozempic, Wegovy 45% More Likely to Have Suicidal Thoughts

The popular weight-loss drugs, which contain the active ingredient semaglutide, were associated with “disproportionately increased…

Children's Health Defense

by Brenda Baletti, Ph.D.

People who take the popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are 45% more likely to have suicidal thoughts than people taking other drugs, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Researchers from the Zucker School of Medicine in New York reviewed a World Health Organization global database of adverse drug effects between November 2000 and August 2023.

They compared reporting rates for semaglutide — the active ingredient in the blockbuster drugs — to other similar weight-loss drugs and all drugs in the database. They found that semaglutide was associated with “disproportionately increased reporting of suicidality.”

“Authorities should consider issuing a warning to inform about this risk,” the authors concluded, particularly given the increasing off-label use of the drug. They said in half of the cases where suicidal thoughts occurred, the drug was being taken off-label.

The signal “warrants urgent clarification,” they added.

The researchers also found a higher risk for suicidal thoughts among people on antidepressants or benzodiazepines, likely prescribed for depression or anxiety, who were also taking semaglutide.

They recommended that physicians who prescribe semaglutide inform patients of the risk and assess their psychiatric history and mental state before prescribing the drug…