Australia's drug regulator has issued new safety warnings for popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs, including Ozempic, over potential risks of suicidal thoughts and reduced contraception effectiveness.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said doctors should monitor patients for depression, suicidal thoughts or unusual mood changes when prescribing GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda, Trulicity and Mounjaro.
A 2024 study found reports of suicidal ideation were slightly higher than expected for semaglutide, and the TGA's database recorded 72 reports of suicidal ideation, six of depression with suicide, four suicide attempts, two completed suicides and one self-injurious ideation up to September. Dr Terri-Lynne South from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners noted that patients with a history of depression or anxiety may be more vulnerable.
Separately, the TGA warned that Mounjaro may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraception, advising patients to use a non-oral method or add a barrier method for four weeks after starting or increasing the dose.
Dr South explained that the drug delays gastric emptying, which can affect absorption of the pill. She added that such warnings are part of normal post-market surveillance, as rare side effects may only emerge when large numbers of people use the drugs.
Those in the UK experiencing distress can contact Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org.
