Important finding on the relationship between weight loss drugs and suicidal ideation

A study by the European Union’s Medicines Agency found no evidence of a link between weight-loss drugs and suicidal thoughts.

The regulator conducted a nine-month investigation into diabetes and weight-loss drugs.

After examining the available evidence, the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (which looks at the harms of medicines) said that no update to the product information was needed.

The research findings come after the EMA in December expanded the scope of the study to weight-loss and diabetes drugs called GLP-1 receptor antagonists, with the aim of getting more data from drugmakers to further investigate the issue. was

The analysis by researchers began in July after the health watchdog in Iceland flagged cases of three patients. These patients had suicidal thoughts or self-harm after taking Novo Nordisk.

The review looked at drugs that contained either semaglutide or liraglutide (both compounds targeting GLP-1).