"The demand for popular weight-loss drugs continues to grow,
but as more patients turn to these treatments, doctors are raising concerns
about potential side effects."
According to Dr. Christopher McGowan, a gastroenterologist
and obesity medicine specialist, these anti-obesity drugs have "potent
effects throughout the body, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract."
This makes medical supervision and close monitoring "critical for all
patients," McGowan told FOX Business.
The increasing use of GLP-1 medications, a class of
weight-loss drugs, marks a shift in obesity management. However, McGowan
emphasized that they should not be taken lightly. The strong effects of these
drugs are why patients are warned about side effects like nausea, vomiting,
gastroparesis, and bowel obstruction—a risk highlighted in a recent lawsuit.
In one such case, a Pennsylvania woman, who required
emergency surgery and lost her colon after using Wegovy and Ozempic, is suing
Novo Nordisk, alleging the company did not adequately warn users about the
risks.
Novo Nordisk has denied the claims, telling FOX Business the
lawsuit is "without merit" and that they intend to "vigorously
defend" against it.
While McGowan believes the warnings on these drugs are
adequate, he acknowledged that all medications carry risks, and GLP-1 drugs are
no exception.
As millions of Americans now use these medications, McGowan
expects "more cases of severe side effects will emerge," serving as a
caution for anyone starting GLP-1 treatments.
He added that there is a common misconception that these
medications are universally safe and effective. However, patients have been
hospitalized and even undergone surgery due to gallbladder disease,
dehydration, and kidney failure as a result of these drugs.
In rare cases, serious side effects like aspiration and
pneumonia have occurred during anaesthesia due to retained gastric contents.
McGowan also pointed to emerging concerns about possible suicidal thoughts,
although this has not been conclusively proven.
Novo Nordisk emphasized that GLP-1 medications, such as
semaglutide, have been used for Type 2 diabetes treatment for two decades and
obesity treatment for nearly 10 years. The company maintains that the safety
and efficacy of these drugs have been well-documented through extensive
clinical trials and real-world studies, including 9.5 million patient years of
clinical experience.
Despite this, the risks and benefits are clearly outlined in
FDA-approved product labels, the company said.
Ozempic, approved by the FDA in 2017 for Type 2 diabetes,
often results in weight loss, but it is not approved for chronic weight
management. Wegovy, on the other hand, was approved in 2021 for long-term
weight management in adults with obesity or weight-related conditions. It was
also approved in 2023 as a heart disease prevention drug after a study showed
it reduced the risk of serious heart problems by 20%.
Although both drugs contain semaglutide, they differ in indications, dosages, and usage guidelines. They are not interchangeable, and patients should only use them as prescribed.
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