Doctors draw attention to safety issues associated with popular weight-loss drugs

The demand for highly sought-after weight-loss drugs continues to rise. However, as more patients embrace this trend, doctors are cautioning them about potential side effects.

Anti-obesity medications "exert potent effects throughout the body, particularly the gastrointestinal tract," according to gastroenterologist and obesity medicine specialist Dr. Christopher McGowan. 

Because of these effects, close supervision, monitoring and medical oversight are "critical for all patients," McGowan told FOX Business. 

The growth of weight-loss drugs, otherwise known as GLP-1 medications, represents a shift in obesity management. But, they should not be taken casually or carelessly, McGowan said. In fact, these potent effects are the very reason why the products warn patients about nausea, vomiting, gastroparesis and bowel obstruction, which was highlighted in a recent lawsuit.

A Pennsylvania woman, who went into emergency surgery and lost her colon after taking Wegovy and Ozempic, is suing Novo Nordisk claiming that the drugs didn't adequately warn patients about potentially serious side effects. 

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Novo Nordisk told FOX Business that the allegations in the lawsuit are "without merit," and it intends "to vigorously defend against these claims."

While McGowan believes there are adequate warnings for such drugs, he said that, like all medications, GLP-1 drugs come with risks that patients must take into consideration.

With millions of Americans now on these medications, McGown expects "more cases of severe side effects are likely to emerge," which "should at least serve as a caution to anyone starting a GLP-1 medication."

"There is a misconception that these medications are universally effective and universally safe. That is not true," McGowan said, adding that while clinical trials demonstrated a favorable safety profile, patients still need to be informed about the potential risks.

"Patients have ended up in the hospital. They have required surgery for gallbladder disease and have experienced dehydration, electrolyte abnormalities and even kidney failure," according to McGowan. 

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Aspiration, which is when food, drink or other objects are accidentally inhaled into the lungs, pneumonia and procedural complications have also occurred in patients on these medications "due to retained gastric contents while receiving anesthesia," he said.

"Though exceedingly rare, these represent serious adverse events," McGowan said. He added that there are also "emerging concerns about potential suicidal ideation, which is not yet proven but highlights the complexity of treating obesity and taking a medication that has effects within the brain." 

Novo told FOX Business that these types of GLP-1 medicines have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for roughly two decades, and for the treatment of obesity for almost 10 years. This includes semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, and liraglutide, the active ingredient in Saxenda and Victoza.

The company said it "stands behind the safety and efficacy of all of our GLP-1 medicines when they are used as indicated and when they are taken under the care of a licensed healthcare professional."

Novo said that semaglutide, for example, "has been extensively examined in robust clinical development programs, large real world evidence studies and has cumulatively over 9.5 million patient years of clinical experience." 

The known risks and benefits of its drugs are described in their FDA-approved product labeling, Novo said.

Ozempic was FDA-approved in 2017 for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, to improve blood sugar, along with diet and exercise. Weight loss is a common side effect, but the drug isn't approved for chronic weight management. 

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In 2021, the FDA approved Wegovy for chronic weight management in adults who are obese or overweight with at least one weight-related condition. Earlier this year, Wegovy was also approved for use as a heart disease prevention medication after a study showed that the drug reduced the risk of serious heart problems by 20%. 

While both contain semaglutide, they are different products with different indications, dosages and prescribing information. The products are also not interchangeable and should not be used outside their approved indications, Novo said.