European health officials are investigating if the wonder weight loss drug Ozempic makes people contemplate suicide and self-harm
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- The EU is investigating if drugs like Ozempic cause users to consider suicide and self-harm.
- Novo Nordisk, the makers of Ozempic, told CNBC "patient safety is a top priority" for them.
- Drugs like Ozempic work by mimicking a hunger-regulating hormone in our bodies.
The European Medicines Agency is investigating if weight loss drugs like Ozempic could make some people consider suicide and self-harm.
The investigation comes after the Icelandic Medicines Agency reported three cases of patients having thoughts of suicide and self-harm after consuming weight-loss drugs, Ozempic and Saxenda, per Reuters. Iceland's health regulator did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
Penny Ward, an expert on drug safety monitoring in Europe, told Reuters that there would most likely be a change in the drugs' labels in Europe after the investigation is done. One potential outcome might be an additional warning on the label, specifying that suicidal thoughts are a possible side effect of consuming the drug, Ward added.
Novo Nordisk, the makers of Ozempic and Saxenda, said in a statement to CNBC "patient safety is a top priority" for them, and they "take all reports about adverse events from use of our medicines very seriously."
The US prescribing information for Saxenda does ask users to "monitor for depression or suicidal thoughts" and to discontinue usage if such symptoms develop.
Weight loss drugs like Ozempic have taken the world by storm. The drugs are able to make people feel full with less food by mimicking a hunger-regulating hormone in our bodies called GLP-1.
Representatives for Novo Nordisk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider sent outside regular business hours.