Fat jabs warning as 82 deaths linked to weight loss drugs and expert warns, only take them if you REALLY need them
SOME 82 Brits have died after using weight-loss and diabetes jabs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.
The official figures from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency reveal the toll up to the end of January.
The disclosure comes as a Sun reporter paid £280 for four doses of Mounjaro without any checks.
Up to the end of January, 22 died after taking meds for weight loss, and another 60 for Type 2 diabetes, according to the official Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
MHRA chief safety officer Dr Alison Cave said professionals must always advise on whether they are necessary.
She added: “The decision to start, continue or stop treatments should be made jointly by patients and their doctor, based on full consideration of benefits and risks.”
An estimated half a million Brits take the drugs, with the total expected to double in a year.
Mounjaro, known as the King Kong of jabs, is to be rolled out on the NHS.
Sun GP Dr Zoe Williams said they can save the lives of people with “life-threatening levels of obesity”.
The NHS website warns: “Never take an anti-obesity medicine if it has not been prescribed to you. These types of medicines may not be safe for you and can cause serious side effects.”
The figures show 18 deaths were linked to Mounjaro – the brand name for tirzepatide.
Another 29 came after taking Ozempic, Rybelsus or Wegovy (also known as semaglutide).
Meanwhile, 35 Brits died after taking Saxenda and Victoza (liraglutide).
The drugs make users feel full, causing the body to burn fat.
It was revealed last year that Scots nurse Susan McGowan, 58, died after taking low-dose injections of Mounjaro over a fortnight.
A probe also found that nearly 400 people have gone to hospital after taking weight-loss drugs.
Side effects include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, leaving sufferers with severe dehydration.
But doctors say they have also seen “life-threatening complications”, including seizures, bowel obstruction and inflammation of the pancreas.
Model Lottie Moss, 27, says she had a seizure after taking high doses of Ozempic.
The makers of Mounjaro, Lilly UK, said patient safety is its “top priority”.
It added: “Regulatory agencies conduct extensive independent assessments of the benefits and risks of every new medicine and Lilly is committed to continually monitoring, evaluating, and reporting safety data.
“If anyone is experiencing side effects when taking any Lilly medicine, they should talk to their doctor or other healthcare professional.”