UK regulator reports nearly 200 deaths linked to GLP-1 weight-loss drugs

The UK medicines regulator says almost 200 fatalities have been associated with GLP-1 obesity treatments such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, alongside more than 150,000 adverse-event reports.

According to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the Yellow Card reporting system has recorded nearly 200 deaths that may be connected to GLP-1 weight-loss medications, including semaglutide (marketed as Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (sold as Mounjaro). The agency logged 59 deaths for semaglutide, 11 of which involved cardiac disorders, and 120 deaths for tirzepatide, 33 of which were linked to gastrointestinal problems.

In total, more than 150,000 adverse-reaction reports have been filed, the bulk being gastrointestinal, with thousands classified as serious, including psychiatric and cardiac events. Officials stress that a reported fatality does not automatically mean the drug caused it, as other health conditions may be factors. They also note that GLP-1 medicines remain safe for most patients given the millions of prescriptions dispensed through the NHS. Recent coroner hearings cited the deaths of 73-year-old Caroline Savage in Norfolk after a Mounjaro dose increase and 66-year-old Paula Owen, whose case was reviewed by senior Devon and Plymouth coroner Philip Spinney.