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A new study by Case Western Reserve School of Medicine researchers found that chemicals used in the diabetes drug Ozempic and the weight control drug Wegovy were not associated with an increased risk of suicidal thoughts.
The findings about this chemical, called semaglutide, are particularly important because the European Medicines Agency (EMA) began investigating its potential risks this summer. Semaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide receptor (GLP1R) substance that helps control blood sugar levels and reduce appetite in type 2 diabetes.
A research team led by Rong Xu, a professor of biomedical informatics, found no evidence to support the EMA's concern that semaglutide could cause suicidal thoughts after studying nearly 2 million people with type 2 diabetes or obesity. A recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine found that Ozempic and Wegovy reduced the risk of suicidal thoughts.
Xu, who is also director of the School of Medicine's Center for AI in Drug Discovery, is a member of the School of Medicine's Nathan Berger, Hanna-Payne Professor of Experimental Medicine and Pamela B. Davis, Allen H., and Curtis F. Garvin Research Professor. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, was also a co-author. To assess the link between semaglutide and the risk of suicidal ideation, the team began by examining the electronic health records of approximately 101 million patients nationwide. A further 2 million patients were then screened using specific inclusion criteria. "This was similar to how we collected real-time evidence of COVID-19 infections and their outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic," Xu said.
Dr. Berger added that clinical trials will be needed to fully understand the side effects of semaglutide. Meanwhile, the team was able to analyze national data to help patients make informed decisions about the risks of using semaglutide.
In this study, two groups of patients were analyzed. Ozempic was given to patients with type 2 diabetes and Wigobi was given to obese patients. Patients were followed for 6 months to assess the occurrence of suicidal ideation and recurrent suicidal ideation recorded in the health records.
man and woman; black, white, and Hispanic patients; Adults under 45; middle-aged adults (46-64); Elderly patients (over 65 years of age) were also tested separately. The researchers reported that the reduction in the risk of suicidal thoughts was consistently seen across all ages, ethnicities, and genders.
The risk of primary and secondary suicidal ideation is lower in patients prescribed liraglutide (eg, Ozempic, Wigobi) compared to anti-obesity drugs and anti-diabetic drugs without GLP1R. "Because of the popularity of this drug, it is necessary to understand all the potential complications," Davis said. "It is important to note that previous suggestions that this drug may cause suicidal ideation have not been confirmed in this very large and diverse population in the United States."
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