Drug regulators in Europe have found no evidence that popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are linked to a higher risk of suicidal thoughts or actions.
The European Medicines Agency’s regulatory committee announced the results of its review on Friday. It is the latest group to conclude that there is no known link between a new class of obesity drugs and suicide.
In January, the US Food and Drug Administration said a preliminary analysis showed no evidence of such a link, although the agency said it could not rule out that “a small risk may exist” and that it would continue to study the issue . A federally funded US study also found that people taking semaglutide, the drug in Ozempic and Wegovy, had a lower risk of suicidal thoughts than those taking older drugs to treat diabetes and obesity.
The review by European Union regulators was triggered last July by anecdotal reports that people taking the drugs had thoughts of self-harm. Regulators reviewed studies, postmarketing data and other research related to the drugs used in nearly a dozen drugs used to treat diseases. The group did not review information regarding tirzepatide, the drug used in drugs sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Both agencies said they will continue to closely monitor reports of suicidal thoughts or actions in people taking drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. Patients taking the drugs should report any mental health or other problems to their healthcare providers, officials said.