Nurse’s death linked to approved weight-loss drug
The death of a nurse from North Lanarkshire has been linked to the use of a weight-loss drug recently approved for use on the NHS.
Susan McGowan, 58, took two low-dose injections of tirzepatide, known under the brand name Mounjaro, over the course of about two weeks before her death on 4 September.
Her death certificate, seen by the BBC, lists multiple organ failure, septic shock and pancreatitis as the immediate cause of death – but "the use of prescribed tirzepatide" is also recorded as a contributing factor.
It is thought to be the first death officially linked to the drug in the UK.
After researching Mounjaro and seeking medical advice, Susan purchased a prescription via a registered online pharmacy.
The drug typically costs between £150 and £200 for a four-week supply and can be purchased from any registered pharmacy in the UK.
Days after her second injection she began experiencing severe stomach pains and sickness, so she went to A&E at Monklands - where her colleagues battled to save her life.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA chief safety officer, said that new medicines, such as tirzepatide, are more intensively monitored to ensure any new safety issues are identified promptly.
She said: "Our sincere sympathies are with the family of individual concerned. Patient safety is our top priority and no medicine would be approved unless it met our expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.
"We have robust, safety monitoring and surveillance systems in place for all healthcare products.
"On the basis of the current evidence the benefits of GLP-1 RAs outweigh the potential risks when used for the licensed indications."
Source: BBC News, 8 November 2024