Researchers have identified a disturbing link between semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, and suicidal thoughts.

As detailed in an article published in the journal JAMA Network OpenResearchers from an international consortium of academic and health institutions found that the appetite suppressant appears to be linked to a significantly higher risk of suicidal thoughts compared to other diabetes drugs.

The researchers reached this conclusion after analyzing a World Health Organization database that, like the Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), tracks suspected unintended side effects of medications.

As they found, taking Ozempic and its weight-loss counterpart Wegovy were associated with a 45 percent greater risk of reported suicidal thoughts compared with all other drugs in the database. That list includes Saxenda and Victroza, the other brand names associated with an older, less effective GLP-1 drug called liraglutide that’s also produced by Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk.

It is notable that this association, established in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, provides further evidence for anecdotal claims that semaglutide has led not only to suicidal thoughts but also to attempts, some of which were unfortunately successful.

However, other experts questioned the researchers’ conclusions.

“This paper presents, at best, weak evidence for an association between semaglutide and suicidality,” said Ian Douglas, professor of pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who was not involved in the study. CNNand added that such studies cannot prove cause and effect.

Other experts told the broadcaster that given the lack of more accurate data, doctors should still be cautious about prescribing drugs such as semaglutide to people with a history of depression or suicidal thoughts.

Governments also need to find evidence to support these findings. Both the US FDA and the European Medicines Agency have investigated the alleged link. In January of this year, the FDA said it had found no “clear relationship” between semaglutide and suicidal thoughts, and its European counterpart followed suit a few months later.

Last year, Novo urged in a statement Reuters that while the company “takes all reports of adverse events associated with the use of our medicines very seriously”, its own testing has not shown a “causal link” between semaglutide and suicidality.

With these new findings, the Danish company is strengthening its defense of the drug that has earned Novo tens of billions of dollars.

“The known risks associated with the use of these medications are reflected in the current FDA and EMA-approved product labels,” a company spokesperson said. STAT News.

Meanwhile, the FDA keeps its mouth shut.

“In general, the FDA does not comment on third-party studies or individual reports,” an agency spokesperson told the health website, “but may evaluate them as part of the evidence to further our understanding of a particular issue and help us in our mission to protect public health.”

The list of benefits grows longer by the week and researchers investigating the potential side effects of these super popular drugs are unlikely to make many friends.

Still, it is an important area of ​​research, especially given the explosive popularity of the drugs.

More about side effects: FDA says people are taking 20 times the correct dose of Ozempic and overdosing