Fat jabs like Ozempic ‘linked’ to 20 deaths in UK as health chiefs investigate
People are being warned not to take the drugs if they're bought without a prescription
TWENTY deaths in Britain have been linked to weight-loss jabs since 2019, according to official data.
The tragic fatalities were all linked to semaglutide — the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.
None can be confirmed to be directly caused by the drug, but health officials say people who reported them had a “suspicion” it was involved.
Campaigners warned people who use weight-loss drugs they have bought online or without a prescription could be putting their lives on the line.
Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, told : “The latest generation of powerful new obesity drugs are wonderful when used as recommended.
“Misuse of them by people who buy them either over-the-counter or online simply to lose weight and without a specialist’s prescription, are putting themselves at risk — and that risk could be fatal.
“If you just want to lose a few pounds, either stay on your preferred diet or just don’t eat so much. That will be far safer.”
Semaglutide — the active ingredient in weight-loss drug Wegovy and diabetes med Ozempic — is called a GLP-1 agonist by experts.
This means it mimics a natural hormone called GLP-1, which is normally produced in response to the body detecting nutrients when we eat.
When an overweight patient takes semaglutide, it produces a similar response, making them feel fuller all the time and reducing how much they want to eat as a result.
Studies show the drugs help people lose around 16kg (35lb) in four weeks, but have been linked to some unpleasant side effects.
The deaths were reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s Yellow Card reporting scheme.
Seven deaths were caused by heart problems, one was from an infection or infestation, and another by injury poisoning or procedural complications.
Metabolic and nutrition disorders accounted for one, while neoplasms and psychiatric disorders caused one each.
Eight deaths did not have a specific recorded cause.
An MHRA spokesperson said: “As with all medicines, the safety of these medicines is kept under continual review to ensure that the benefits outweigh the risks.
“The MHRA will carefully evaluate any emerging evidence from spontaneous reporting and ongoing studies alongside other sources of information and promptly communicate any new advice to healthcare professionals and patients as needed.
“No medicine is completely risk-free, so the decision to start, continue or stop treatment with Wegovy and Ozempic should be made jointly by patients and their doctor, based on the best advice available and their own personal circumstances.
“We ask everyone to report any suspected side effects using our Yellow Card scheme website. Patient safety is our top priority.”
Everything you need to know about fat jabs
HERE'S what you should know about Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda and Mounjaro.
Weight loss jabs are a hot media topic at the moment, with hundreds of success stories sharing how they helped them shed the pounds.
In March 2023, the NHS announced it would make Wegovy, a drug made by Danish firm Novo Nordisk, available on prescription to thousands of obese Brits.
It contains the drug semaglutide, which is said to have helped reality star Kim Kardashian and Twitter boss Elon Musk lose weight.
Wegovy, which helped a third of people reduce their weight by 20 per cent in trials, is now available from pharmacies like Boots.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less calories and therefore lose weight.
To do this, an ingredient found in the fat-busting drug, known as Semaglutide, mimics the role of a natural hormone, called GLP-1.
GLP-1 is part of the signalling pathway that tells your body you have eaten, and prepares it to use the energy that comes from your food.
London GP and founder of , Dr Zoe Watson, said: “Your body naturally produces an appetite regulating hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1.
“These jabs work by regulating your appetite, which can lead to eating fewer calories and losing weight.”
Aren’t they diabetes drugs?
Semaglutide, the active drug in Wegovy, was originally sold under the name Ozempic specifically for diabetes patients.
But they started noticing it helped suppress their appetites, stopping them eating as much and helping them shed the pounds.
So Novo Nordisk developed Wegovy, which contains the same chemical but at higher doses specifically to aid weight loss.
Wegovy is not prescribed for diabetes patients.
Can I get them?
Wegovy is offered on prescription to obese adults given specialist weight loss treatment.
The NHS currently also offers a similar drug called Saxenda, or liraglutide.
Both are only available on Tier 3 and Tier 4 weight management services, which means you have to be referred to weight management clinics led by experts.
GPs can’t prescribe them on their own either, Dr Watson said.
The jabs have to be taken as part of an overall programme to help with lifestyle changes and psychological support to get the best effect from the medication prescribed.
But despite being approved for use, supply of Wegovy on the NHS has been postponed indefinitely because of a surge in worldwide demand.
Supply was also halved in the US because of the skyrocketing demand.
Are there any risks?
Like all medicines, the jabs do not come without side effects.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: “One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, thyroid tumours, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
What other options are there?
Mounjaro (brand name for tirzepatide) also came onto the market in early 2024.
Like Wegovy, tirzepatide stems from a drug originally designed to treat diabetes.
The weekly injection helped overweight people drop more than two stone in 18 months.
It is available with to order with a prescription online from pharmacies including Superdrug and LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor.
It works in a similar way to Wegovy and Saxenda, but is more effective.
Dr Mitra Dutt from says: “Based on clinical trials, 96 per cent of people were able to lose more than five per cent of their body fat using Mounjaro. In similar trials, 84 per cent of people lost more than five per cent of their body weight on Wegovy, and 60 per cent on Saxenda.
“Mounjaro works by activating two hormonal receptors (GIP and GLP-1), which enhance insulin production, improve insulin sensitivity, and work to decrease food intake.”