Two new studies find that the popular weight loss and diabetes drug semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, does not increase the risk of depression and suicide.
But while two medical doctors who examined the research call the results “reassuring,” they say that neither study “fully answers the question of whether these drugs are safe in those with preexisting mental health problems.”
In the first study, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed data from over 3,500 people who participated in one of four semaglutide clinical trials and who did not have a major mental health condition.
The study authors found that 1% or fewer participants reported suicidal ideation or behavior during treatment, with no differences between 2.4 milligrams of semaglutide — the dosage for Wegovy — and a placebo.
“The STEP trials provide strong evidence that semaglutide 2.4 mg reduces body weight and improves numerous health complications associated with obesity,” said Thomas Wadden, a professor of psychology in psychiatry and the former director of Penn’s Center for Weight and Eating Disorders.
“Our new analyses provide assurance that the medication, when taken by individuals who are free of significant mental health concerns, does not increase the risk of depression, suicidal thoughts, or suicidal behavior,” added Wadden, who has received grants and consulting fees from Novo Nordisk.
The Danish pharmaceutical giant, which manufactures Wegovy and Ozempic, funded the study.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ozempic in 2017 to treat Type 2 diabetes in adults and Wegovy in 2021 for adult weight loss.
They are part of a class of drugs that mimic the GLP-1 hormone to make people feel full and eat less.
The FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently investigated reports of suicidal thoughts or behavior by GLP-1 users, finding no evidence that these medicines cause either.
Novo Nordisk referenced the FDA and EMA findings in a statement to The Post about the new research — both studies were published Tuesday in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The second study found that GLP-1 drugs did not increase the risk of death by suicide among nearly 125,000 adults in Denmark and Sweden.
“These findings align with data collected from our comprehensive clinical trials, including large-scale outcomes trials and observational studies,” Novo Nordisk told The Post.
However, a study published last month found that semaglutide users may face a higher risk of suicidal thoughts.
In an editorial accompanying Tuesday’s research, two doctors raised concern about the exclusion of people with preexisting mental health problems, such as moderate or severe depression, in the Penn study.
Though more than one-third of patients had a history of psychiatric disorders in the other study, researchers only analyzed two types of GLP-1 drugs — semaglutide and liraglutide (brand name: Victoza). There are others on the market.
JAMA Internal Medicine Associate Editor Timothy S. Anderson and Deputy Editor Deborah Grady also pointed out that participants “may have stopped GLP-1 medications at the onset of worsening depressive symptoms prior to the development of suicidal ideation.”
As interest grows to see what else GLP-1 drugs can treat, like substance abuse, Anderson and Grady say “continued vigilance in monitoring mental health symptoms is essential.”
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
