Available evidence does not support GLP-1 receptor agonists link with thyroid cancer

27 October 2023

There was good news for the makers of some diabetes and obesity drugs today, when the European regulator found no link to thyroid cancer scares.

The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) safety committee (PRAC) has concluded that the available evidence does not support a causal association between the Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1) - exenatide, liraglutide, dulaglutide, semaglutide, and lixisenatide - and cancer of the thyroid gland.

GLP-1 receptor agonists are used to treat type 2 diabetes and, in some cases, for the treatment of obesity and overweight under certain conditions. The PRAC began assessing this safety signal following the publication of a study suggesting that there might be an increased risk of thyroid cancers with the use of these medicines in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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