No evidence of increased suicidal ideation risk linked with GLP-1 drug semaglutide

6 January 2024

A large US study, reported in Nature Medicine, has found no evidence that taking drugs that include diabetes and weight-loss medication semaglutide is tied to an increase in suicidal thoughts.

The study analysed medical data from more than 1.8 million patients to uncover the effect semaglutide - the active ingredient in Danish diabetes care giant Novo Nordisk's (NOV: N) diabetes medication Ozempic - has on mental health. This also included in the study was another of Novo Nordisk's semaglutide-based medicines, Wegovy, which is specifically authorized for the treatment of obesity.

Following an investigation, the European Medicines Agency last November announced it couldn't conclusively say if there is a link between GLP-1s and thoughts of self-harm, but it is still studying the issue. The US Food and Drug Administration also said recently that it is investigating possible side effects reported to the agency, including suicidal thought.

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