Weight loss drugs Ozempic, Wegovy subject of multiple investigations

Ozempic and Wegovy, drugs typically used to treat Type 2 diabetes, are now commonly accepted as weight loss drugs. They’ve gained major traction as a trendy way to drop pounds fast with celebrities promoting them and the masses buying in.

But there are new health-related warnings issued to the weight loss method. According to a July 27 Reuters investigation, a factory that fills the self-injection pens for Wegovy wasn’t meeting proper sterile-safety standards for years.

The staff at the factory failed to perform quality checks over the products, according to FDA inspection reports. The FDA called it “the most serious form of violations” and the plant temporarily closed down twice over the poor inspections in 2021 and 2022.

However, the FDA allowed the facility to stay open after the most recent inspection while it fixed the issues because the agency found there was no threat to consumers.

That was a relief to the drugmaker Novo Nordisk, which has doubled in market value since Wegovy’s FDA approval two years ago as a weight management injection.

The company’s other drug Ozempic is similarly targeted toward diabetics but is widely used to lose weight, though the FDA has not approved it for that condition. Both Wegovy and Ozempic contain the same active ingredient semaglutide; Wegovy contains higher doses of it.

Just as the frenzy of users is at a peak, the FDA is investigating reports that could link stomach paralysis to the weight loss drugs. The FDA says it’s unable to determine if the medications are the cause in these reported cases or if it’s from a different issue.

Novo Nordisk says the drugs have been used safely for years to treat diabetes and obesity.

As another potential medical woe for the drugmaker, the EU is conducting a large investigation into weight loss drugs and any increased risks of suicide. Depending on the results of the investigation, suicidal behavior could become a listed side effect if a correlation is found.