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Found 135 results
  1. News Article
    Patients in the UK will soon be able to buy the Wegovy weight-loss pill, the medicines regulator announced on Thursday. It is the first GLP-1 receptor agonist tablet for weight-loss to be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), making the UK the third country to authorise the pills, behind the US and the United Arab Emirates. Before now, UK patients using the drug have had to use the injectable version. Emil Kongshøj Larsen, the executive vice-president for international operations at Novo Nordisk, the Danish multinational which makes the drug, said: “This is a landmark approval, making the UK the first country in Europe to approve Wegovy pill. We hope this approval supports increasing access to obesity care in the UK.” The pills, which contain semaglutide, are now approved for adults who are obese (BMI of 30 or above) or overweight (BMI of 27-30) and have at least one weight-related health condition. Until Wegovy tablets are approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), they will not be available on the NHS and eligible patients will have to get a private prescription. As with the injectable form, Wegovy pills have to be taken carefully. Patients need to take them whole with a sip of water on an empty stomach after fasting for at least eight hours, then avoid food or drink for at least 30 minutes. The most common side effects of Wegovy pills are gastrointestinal disorders including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation and vomiting. The MHRA said anyone experiencing a side effects should talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the yellow card scheme. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 11 June 2026
  2. News Article
    A health minister has acknowledged that restricted access to weight loss drugs on the NHS may be driving individuals to seek unregulated alternatives, as officials face urgent calls to investigate deaths linked to black market obesity jabs. Health officials were directly challenged by MPs on the Health and Social Committee regarding measures to curb illicit sales of anti-obesity treatments. A stark warning was issued to NHS and Department of Health officials: "People have already died as a result of this, and there is a chance that this could get worse." Conservative MP Gregory Stafford questioned whether current NHS access constraints were creating a patient safety risk, citing evidence that barriers were pushing patients to "unregulated and potentially unsafe sources." Professor Aidan Fowler, national director of patient safety for NHS England, informed MPs that discussions with the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) frequently address risks around medicine safety, including black market issues, drawing parallels with cosmetic surgery. However, committee chairwoman Layla Moran delivered a harrowing account, stating: "I’ve met with families whose loved ones have tragically passed away because they did access on the black market, they then got sepsis and died, and the coroner report is still ongoing. “But the concern is it was the injection itself and its administration that caused the death, they don’t feel that the MHRA are on top of it, and I’m not sure that they will have heard today’s evidence and felt that you guys are either, and I really hope, minister, that when you go away and look at this that you bear in mind the fact people have already died as a result of this, and there is a chance that this could get worse." Read full story Source: The Independent, 3 June 2026
  3. News Article
    Weight loss jabs are transforming obesity treatment, but without access to affordable healthy food and ongoing support they could widen health inequalities in the UK, experts have warned. The injections, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, are taken by an estimated 2.4 million Britons and work by mimicking the natural hormone which regulates blood sugar, appetite and digestion. Although drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro have transformed weight-loss treatment, researchers at Cambridge University and University College London (UCL) have argued that their long-term benefits depend on diet, exercise and healthcare support. “We have highlighted that obesity treatment is not just a medical issue, but a social and structural one. Without integrated dietary support and attention to food affordability, these medications could deepen existing health inequalities,” Dr Adrian Brown at UCL Medicine said. “The key message is clear: these treatments are powerful, but their long-term public health impact will depend on whether the right support systems are in place to ensure equitable and safe access for all patients,” he added. The report, published in the journal Nature Medicine, warned that healthier diets are often more expensive, and on top of the cost of weight-loss jabs, are unaffordable for many. Dr Marie Spreckley from Cambridge University said: “The key question is not simply who can access these medications, but who can benefit from them in the long term. If access to healthy food, nutrition support and ongoing care is uneven, there is a risk that the benefits of these treatments will also be uneven.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 1 June 2026
  4. News Article
    More than 6,000 children living with obesity, including hundreds as young as four, have required treatment at specialist NHS weight-loss clinics, new figures reveal. NHS England data, published for the first time, underlines the scale of the growing childhood obesity crisis. Since the first Complications from Excess Weight clinic (CEW) opened in 2021, the NHS has treated 6,497 children and teenagers. Of these, 423 were four years old, 1,088 were aged between five and eight, 1,791 were aged nine to 12 and 3,137 were aged between 13 and 17. The age of a further 58 is unknown. All were “extremely” overweight for their age, with the four-year-olds weighing an average of 33kg (5st 3lbs), the same weight as a typical 10-year-old. About 400 of the children treated by CEWs have had weight loss jabs as part of their treatment plans. In order to be treated at a CEW, children must be referred by a community or hospital paediatrician, a GP or childhood mental health services and have a BMI above the 99.6th percentile as well as an illness linked to their excess weight. The research, by Sheffield Hallam University, Leeds Beckett University, the University of Leeds, the University of Bristol and the University of Sheffield, found that just under 30% had metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and 17% had obstructive sleep apnoea. About 9% had deliberately self-harmed, and the same proportion had anxiety. A significant number were neurodivergent. Just under 30% had autism and about 12% had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. A further 24% had a learning disability. Katharine Jenner, executive director at the Obesity Health Alliance, said: “These figures should be a wake-up call. All parents want their children to grow up healthy, yet seeing children as young as four needing specialist NHS treatment for their weight highlights just how early the drivers of poor health are taking hold. “Children today are growing up surrounded by unhealthy food at almost every turn, leaving families struggling against a system that stacks the odds against healthier options. “The fact that some children are already developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and early signs of heart disease at such a young age underlines why prevention has to begin in the earliest years of life." Read full story Source: The Guardian, 12 May 2026
  5. News Article
    A GLP-1 weight loss pill, already on sale in the United States, has hit a regulatory snag. The Food and Drug Administration has asked U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly to collect more long-term safety data on its once-daily tablet Foundayo, according to an 1 April letter published by the FDA Tuesday. The FDA approved the pill under its programme to fast-track drugs using 72-week, Phase 3 trial data but still needs to look at years-long data to understand all of the potential risks. At the heart of the request is whether taking Foundayo - made using a new active ingredient called orforglipron - could be linked to liver, heart and gastrointestinal problems. “We have determined that only a clinical trial (rather than a nonclinical or observational study) will be sufficient to assess a signal of a serious risk of retained gastric contents and to identify an unexpected serious risk for major adverse cardiovascular events, drug-induced liver injury and exposure to [Foundayo] during lactation,” the FDA wrote. Eli Lilly has until the end of April to complete that clinical trial and until July to submit a final report. An Eli Lilly spokesperson told The Independent that “patient safety is Lilly’s top priority” and that the company actively monitors, evaluates and reports safety information for all its medicines. Read full story Source: The Independent, 16 April 2026
  6. News Article
    More than a million people with heart disease could be prescribed weight loss jabs on the NHS to prevent them from having heart attacks or strokes. Sold under the brand name Wegovy and made by Novo Nordisk, the weekly jab is a type of drug called a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It works by mimicking the natural hormone which regulates blood sugar, appetite and digestion. The drug can be prescribed to lower blood sugar in people living with type 2 diabetes, but can also help people to lose weight and has been shown to work directly on the heart and blood vessels. Now the NHS’s spending watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), has given the green light to give semaglutide to overweight and obese patients living with certain heart and circulatory conditions. It is expected that 1.2 million people across England could benefit. Naveed Sattar, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine at the University of Glasgow, said the move was a “genuine win–win” that will improve patients’ quality of life. “We now have medicines that not only reduce heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral arterial disease, but also simultaneously lead to meaningful weight loss – which in turn lowers the risk of many weight‑related conditions,” Prof Sattar said. “Given that so many people living with cardiovascular disease also struggle with excess weight, it’s no longer sufficient to focus solely on lipids and blood pressure. We must also address weight directly if we want to deliver the best possible outcomes for our patients,” he added. Read full story Source: The Independent, 1 April 2026
  7. Content Article
    This briefing from Arthritis UK finds that almost a fifth (19%) of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England are rationing joint replacement surgery by disadvantaging patients with a higher body mass index (BMI). A further 54.7% have policies that restrict or alter access to surgery in some other way for those with overweight or obesity. Not only are these policies unfair, but they also contradict National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and government policy. Arthritis UK is calling for all ICBs to stop using these policies and stop rationing surgery based on a person’s BMI.
  8. News Article
    Nearly one in five NHS organisations are "rationing" crucial joint replacement surgeries based on patients' weight, a new report has claimed. Arthritis UK has warned that this practice is creating a "postcode lottery" of care across the country, leaving individuals in urgent need of operations at risk of enduring prolonged pain. The charity also expressed concerns that these policies are being implemented "in a bid to cut waiting lists and costs". An analysis conducted by Arthritis UK found that 31 out of 42 NHS integrated care boards (ICBs) currently have policies linking body mass index (BMI) to hip and knee replacements. Specifically, eight ICBs, representing 19% of the total, are "rationing" procedures by setting defined BMI thresholds as a criterion for surgical referral. A further 23 have policies that encourage or mandate weight loss to become eligible for these operations, the report said. According to Arthritis UK, ICBs justify the use of BMI policies by highlighting risks. However, it said research only shows a significant risk for people with a very high BMI, and these policies have “been inappropriately used” to cut off patients with lower BMIs, such as 35. This move has affected thousands of people “who would have received the significant improvements in their joint pain and function,” the charity said. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) advises against using BMI to exclude patients from referral to surgery. Read full story Source: The Independent, 26 March 2026
  9. News Article
    Millions of Americans use injectable drugs like Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy to help them lose weight - knowing there are possible side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has written a letter alleging that the Danish drugmaker failed to report adverse effects in patients who took semaglutide drugs, including death. The 5 March letter cited three deaths in unidentified patients, including one patient who died by suicide, and Director of the Office of Scientific Investigations Dr. David Burrow wrote that Novo Nordisk had failed to failed to report “serious and unexpected” adverse drug experiences within the FDA’s required time frame. “Based on your written procedure, your staff or contractor cancelled or rejected serious and unexpected adverse drug experiences that were required to be reported within 15 calendar days because they documented these events as being unrelated to the product,” Burrow said. However, the FDA stopped short in deciding whether any of the adverse effects were directly linked to the drug. The findings were based on an inspection of a New Jersey facility last year that Burrow said “revealed serious violations” of reporting requirements. Since then, Novo Nordisk had taken corrective and preventive actions that officials claimed were “inadequate” because the pharmaceutical giant “did not provide sufficient details to determine whether [Novo Nordisk’s] actions will effectively prevent similar violations in the future.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 12 March 2026
  10. News Article
    The deaths of two people in Northern Ireland potentially linked to weight-loss injections have been reported to the government agency responsible for ensuring medicines are safe. The two cases are among more than 500 suspected adverse drug reaction reports submitted from Northern Ireland over the last two years related to GLP-1 medications. The drugs, prescribed under names such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, are widely used across the UK for weight management and to treat diabetes. The reports were made to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA said a report of a suspected reaction "does not necessarily mean it has been caused by the medicine, only that the reporter had a suspicion it may have". "Underlying or concurrent illnesses may be responsible, or the events could be coincidental," it added. The data shows that the two deaths were of a man and a woman, one who was in their 40s and the other in their 60s, although it does not specify which age category applied to which person. Read full story Source: BBC News, 9 March 2026
  11. News Article
    Illegal weight-loss medication has been seized from a farm and home in Lincolnshire suspected of being involved in a criminal network making and selling fake jabs. Almost 2,000 doses of the dangerous “skinny jabs” were seized in two raids by officers from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Lincolnshire Police. Manufacturing equipment, suspected pharmaceutical ingredients, packaging and commercial vehicles were also found in the raids. The street value of the finished weight-loss products alone was estimated to be more than £250,000. The raids were in response to reports of people “becoming unwell” or finding the products were “ineffective” after using the unregulated drugs, Lincolnshire Police said. Health officials warned the unlicensed products are potentially deadly and are often made with “no regard for safety, sterility, or quality”. Dr Zubir Ahmed, health innovation and patient safety minister, said: “We will not allow criminals to profit by exploiting people looking for help with their weight. “Do not buy weight-loss medicines from unregulated sources. Safe, effective, licensed treatments can make a real difference for those who need them – but they must come from a registered pharmacy, with a valid prescription.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 2 March 2026
  12. News Article
    People living with obesity are 70% more likely to be hospitalised by or die from an infection, with 1 in 10 infection-related deaths globally linked to the condition, research suggests. Being an unhealthy weight significantly increases the risk of severe illness and death from most infectious diseases, including flu, pneumonia, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections and Covid-19, according to a study of more than 500,000 people. Obesity may already be a factor in as many as 600,000 of 5.4 million deaths (11%) from infectious diseases every year, researchers found. The study’s first author, Dr Solja Nyberg, of the University of Helsinki, said the problem could worsen. “As obesity rates are expected to rise globally, so will the number of deaths and hospitalisations from infectious diseases linked to obesity. “To reduce the risk of severe infections, as well as other health issues linked with obesity, there is an urgent need for policies that help people stay healthy and support weight-loss, such as access to affordable healthy food and opportunities for physical activity.” In the meantime, she added, it was “especially important” for those living with obesity to keep up to date with their vaccinations. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 9 February 2026
  13. News Article
    Doctors have warned that rising obesity rates among pregnant women are endangering both mothers and babies. Over a quarter of pregnant women in the UK are now classified as obese. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has urged that this be "recognised as an urgent and growing public health challenge". Obesity is “contributing to avoidable harm” while also putting increased pressure on NHS maternity services, according to the new report. The college said there must be “bold, joined-up action” from food policy, education and healthcare to better prevent obesity in general. The “stigamatisation” of women’s weight also “remains an issue” and should be replaced by non-judgmental care before, during and after pregnancy, experts said. Read full story Source: The Independent, 4 February 2026
  14. News Article
    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. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 29 January 2026
  15. News Article
    Almost a quarter of GPs are seeing children aged four or under who are obese, according to a survey of UK family doctors. The “alarming” research also found that almost half (49%) of GPs have seen boys and girls up to the age of seven who have obesity, including a handful younger than a year old. However, four out of five family doctors find it difficult to talk to children or their parents about the condition, in case such conversations make them feel upset, angry or ashamed. Dr John Holden, the chief medical officer at the medical organisation MDDUS, which ran the survey, said: “These findings are an alarming confirmation of the growing crisis of childhood obesity across the country and the very real difficulties this creates in everyday GP consultations.” The survey asked 540 family doctors about their experience of managing obesity, the explosion in the use of weight loss drugs and what widespread levels of dangerous overweight means for the NHS. Almost one in four (23%) said they had seen children aged zero to four where obesity was a clinical concern. Among the doctors, 81% have seen obesity in those between their first 12 months and the age of 11. Four in five (80%) find it somewhat or very challenging to talk to the parents of an obese child under the age of 16 about their weight and health, with only 10% saying that is easy to do. Nearly two thirds (65%) find it hard to talk to obese young people themselves, with just 20% saying that is easy. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 25 January 2026
  16. News Article
    Children in England are facing "some of the worst child health outcomes in Europe," prompting MPs to demand an "urgent" rebuilding of the health visiting workforce. A new report from the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee has issued a stark warning, highlighting rising obesity levels and "uneven" vaccination coverage among infants. The cross-party group scrutinised the critical "first 1,000 days" of a child's life, from conception to age two, concluding that government action is imperative to improve national child health. Committee members urged ministers to expand pledges on Family Hubs, ensuring these vital support centres are accessible in every community. Crucially, they called for an immediate effort to "urgently rebuild the health visiting workforce," which has seen a significant 43% reduction since 2015. This has resulted in a shortfall of 5,000 posts, with remaining staff managing “dangerously high” caseloads, the report states. The report also calls for the target of giving 95% of children their routine childhood immunisations to be reinstated in the NHS. “The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says the UK has some of the worst health outcomes for young children in Europe. This should be a source of shame. “Over the last two decades we have seen a hollowing out of health services for infants – the Family Hubs programme still barely touches the sides of what was once provided by Sure Start centres before they were forced to close." Read full story Source: The Independent, 22 January 2026
  17. News Article
    A hospital trust in south London has issued an alert after fraudulent videos were circulated online claiming its staff endorsed weight loss products. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust said that the videos, found on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, "falsely claim a number of our clinicians are using and endorsing these products". The videos, which show doctors applying weight loss patches to their bodies and losing weight over a period of time, appear to be AI-generated, the Trust said, and do not show doctors who work there. The BBC has approached the company and a doctor claiming to be behind the products, but has had no response. Speaking to the BBC Dr Daghni Rajasingam, deputy chief medical officer at the Trust, said staff were "actively working" to try and get the videos taken down. "They are fraudulent and they're misleading," Rajasingam said. "NHS clinicians would never endorse or promote commercial products such as this." The doctor urged the public to seek health advice on weight loss from "trusted NHS sources". Read full story Source: BBC News, 15 January 2025
  18. News Article
    Losing weight may be a common new year resolution but health experts have warned against buying medications for such purposes from social media sellers or other illegitimate channels. Jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro have become hugely popular for weight loss, with trials suggesting the latter can help people lose an average of 20% of their body weight after 72 weeks of treatment. However, with demand high, access on the NHS limited, a prescription required and a hefty price tag attached, the black market for such medications is booming. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a fresh warning to those planning to use weight-loss medications, stressing the importance of only buying them from registered UK pharmacies or legitimate retailers. Read full story Source: Guardian, 29 December 2025
  19. News Article
    Organised crime gangs have begun manufacturing their own branded weight-loss drugs, designed to look like legitimate medicines, in what authorities warn is a significant threat. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said the trend had only just emerged, leading them to conduct the largest single seizure of trafficked weight-loss drugs ever recorded by any global law enforcement agency. Andy Morling, the head of the MHRA’s criminal enforcement unit, said that in the last few months it had seen a new model of production, “where criminals are putting investment into designing their own packaging and branding … and selling it purporting to be a genuine product”. He added: “That is an unusual model. [What they seized] looked like genuine medicines, but are entirely unlicensed and illegal to sell in the UK. The most recent model, and the level of investment to do packaging and production facilities to sell on an industrial scale – that is undoubtedly organised crime. That is why we are working to eliminate that model before it takes a grip.” Morling said a product “that sophisticated … is a significant concern” for his unit. Morling said that there was a “blurring of line in what is considered medicine and another cosmetic treatment available these days”. He said that most customers thought what they were buying in the syringes was a cosmetic treatment. Morling added: “Some of the beauty parlours are selling them in this setting not realising that they are selling medicine that could end up giving them a custodial sentence … In both customer and seller there is a lack of awareness.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 11 November 2025
  20. News Article
    Thousands of people from some of Scotland's most deprived areas are to be offered free weight-loss jabs as part of government-funded research. Up to 5,000 people in Scotland will take the injections as part of the multi-million pound study being led by Glasgow University. The findings will provide insight into the lives of people living with obesity and health inequalities across the UK. If successful, it could lead to a wider rollout of the injections throughout the country. The UK government has provided an initial £650,000 for the Scotland CardioMetabolic Impact Study (SCoMIS). As a leading cause of long-term illness such as heart disease and cancer, tackling obesity will help millions live longer healthier lives and reduce the pressure on health services, potentially saving the NHS billions annually. UK Health Innovation Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed said: "As a practicing NHS surgeon and Glasgow MP, I know firsthand the impact of the obesity crisis that plagues Scotland – and the litany of health problems it leads to. "More than 1 in 3 adults in Scotland's most deprived areas are living with obesity. The UK government is committed to tackling inequality wherever it finds it in our country. "It's why this landmark UK government investment is targeting help where it's needed most in Scotland and meeting people where they are and backing helping the NHS services they trust to treat them." Read full story Source: BBC News, 1 November 2025
  21. Content Article
    On 11 July 2023, Susan Evans underwent elective Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. The surgery went to plan and appropriate measures were taken to avoid the possibility of an anastomotic leak, a rare but recognised complication of gastric bypass surgery. Initially, Ms Evans recovered well, but she experienced abdominal pain in the early hours of 13 July 2023. It is likely that this was due to an anastomotic leak. 13 July 2023 was the first day of a junior doctors’ strike. Unrelated to this, the hospital only had the equivalent of one full time specialist bariatric nurse, who was not on duty. Contrary to Queen Alexandra hospital’s written policy for gastric bypass patients, Ms Evans was not seen by a member of the specialist bariatric team on 13 July 2023 and was not seen by a senior doctor after reporting pain in order to rule out the possibility of an anastomotic leak. The hospital at night nursing team, who administered pain relief, were unaware of the latter requirement. In addition, Ms Evans not seen by a member of the bariatric team or any doctor prior to her discharge from hospital on the morning of 13 July 2023. Ms Evans was still in a degree of pain when she left hospital. She was re-admitted to hospital on 15 July 2023. By this point she was extremely unwell with abdominal sepsis from an anastomotic leak. She underwent remedial surgery on 15 July 2023 and a further operation was required on 25 July 2023. Despite appropriate medical care following her re-admission, her condition deteriorated, and she died at Queen Alexandra Hospital on 12 August 2023. It is likely that, if she had been seen by a member of the bariatric team on 13 July 2023, she would have been kept in hospital and would have been operated upon sooner. The failures identified contributed more than minimally to her death. Matters of concern Queen Alexandra’s written post operative care pathway for patients who have undergone a gastric bypass operation states that: There is to be a daily review by a bariatric specialist nurse, consultant or registrar. A senior doctor is to review within 2 hours if there is increased abdominal pain in order to rule out anastomotic leak or bleed. In addition to this, the inquest heard evidence that patients should be seen by a member of the specialist bariatric team prior to discharge. This is not included in the written policy. Neither the written nor informal policy set out above were followed in Ms Evans’ case. She was not reviewed by a member of the specialist bariatric team at any point on day 2 after surgery and the pain she experienced from the early hours of 13 July 2023 was not escalated to a senior doctor at all. The inquest heard evidence that medical staff who were not part of the specialist bariatric team were unlikely to appreciate the significance of pain. The failure to follow policy contributed more than minimally to Ms Evans death and is therefore a matter of concern.
  22. News Article
    While millions of Americans have turned to popular weight loss drugs to shed pounds in recent years, taking them isn’t without some risks. Now, research led by the scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that tens of thousands of Americans have ended up in the emergency room after taking semaglutide: the active ingredient in GLP-1 drugs, including drugmaker Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy. The findings may be an indicator that more patient education is necessary when it comes to taking the drugs. “We found that it’s very infrequent that semaglutide leads to very serious adverse events that would land a patient in the hospital, but that they do occur,” Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, told Health. Using national surveillance data collected at dozens of hospitals, they estimated that semaglutide had been a contributing factor in nearly 25,000 emergency room visits from 2022 to 2023. More than 82 percent of those visits occurred in 2023, and the reason was usually gastrointestinal complications. Patients experienced nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhoea. Some people also came into emergency rooms with allergic reactions and hypoglycemia, which is also known as low blood sugar. A handful of patients were diagnosed with pancreatitis and just four were diagnosed with biliary disease, which impacts the gallbladder. Read full story Source: The Independent, 1 May 2025
  23. News Article
    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has urged patients and doctors to check that their Ozempic prescriptions are legitimate after the agency seized several hundred units of fake versions of the diabetes drug in the US. Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and the weight loss drug Wegovy, told the FDA on April 3 that counterfeit 1-milligram injections were being distributed outside its authorised supply chain in the US, the agency said in a news release. That means it likely entered the market through unofficial means, like unauthorised distributors or resellers. The agency said it’s aware of six adverse event reports linked to the lot — however, none of them appear to be associated with the counterfeit product. The agency and Novo Nordisk are testing the fake products to identify whether they’re safe. Genuine Ozempic can come with side effects, including stomach problems, so it's not clear whether the adverse events were caused by typical use. Read full story Source: NBC News, 14 April 2025
  24. News Article
    Illegal weight loss injections with dirty needles are being sold over social media and sent to people in Northern Ireland, a BBC investigation has found. BBC News NI made test purchases of syringes which claimed to contain semaglutide, a prescription-only drug, via Facebook from sellers based in England. When tested, the liquid was not semaglutide but did contain carnitine – a supplement that can be bought on the high street. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it was working at an international level to root out criminal gangs selling illicit jabs manufactured in unhygienic labs. So-called skinny jabs are prescribed weight loss injections that work by making you feel fuller and less hungry. In Great Britain, semaglutide is available on the NHS as part of a weight management programme. However, in Northern Ireland it is not as there is no specialist weight management service, but it is available on private prescription. The Department of Health in Northern Ireland said people were putting themselves at serious risk buying from sellers on social media sites. Read full story Source: BBC News, 14 April 2025
  25. News Article
    The 10-Year Plan’s focus on the NHS risks sidelining the need for more effective action by national and local government on prevention, public health directors are warning. Association of Directors of Public Health president Greg Fell also told HSJ integrated care boards should “give us [councils] more grief” to take more action on prevention, rather than prioritising NHS upstream interventions that are not as effective as primary prevention. Mr Fell, director of public health at Sheffield City Council, said policy makers, NHS leaders and media too often looked to growing “preventive” treatments – such as weight management treatment, and weight-loss drugs – as the solution to problems like growing obesity and falling healthy life expectancy. He said the routine “framing” of prevention as something the NHS can solve with upstream treatments risked diverting from national and local government actions that could make a much bigger difference. Mr Fell said such interventions – and the high-profile GLP-1 drugs for obesity – may be worthwhile, but for overcoming the big health threats were “like emptying an ocean with a teaspoon or, being kind, a soup ladle”. He said: “The answer is way upstream of better treatment. [It] is effective regulation of junk food industries, and that isn’t primarily a Department of Health and Social Care thing, and certainly not an NHS problem. It’s a problem across the government.” Mr Fell said he expected the 10-Year Plan “would be pretty good” but means “the bandwidth has been taken by the NHS”. He called for government to outline its plan for preventive cross-government action as part of its health mission, beginning a “debate about the right mix of policies” across multiple government departments, local government, and others. “We haven’t yet seen much on the health mission,” the director of public health said, adding that it would need to cover tobacco control, alcohol, air quality, obesity, and “how does all that hang together across the totality of government?” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 31 March 2025

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