Small risk of severe acute pancreatitis with weight-loss jabs, UK regulator warns

Patients on weight-loss jabs and diabetes injections should be aware there is a small risk of developing severe acute pancreatitis, the UK medicines regulator has said.

About 1.6 million adults in England, Wales and Scotland used GLP-1 medication, such as semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro), between early 2024 and early 2025 to lose weight, according to recent research.

Patient information leaflets for Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro list pancreatitis as an “uncommon” reaction, affecting about one in 100 patients.

Acute pancreatitis occurs when the pancreas, a gland located behind the stomach that aids in digestion, becomes suddenly inflamed. Symptoms include severe pain in the abdomen, nausea and fever, with patients often ending up in hospital.

While acknowledging that pancreatitis is rare, on Thursday the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) updated its guidance, after an increase in reports of acute pancreatitis to the agency’s yellow card scheme, which monitors any adverse reactions to medications and medical devices in the UK.

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Source: The Guardian, 29 January 2026