- Poison control centers across the United States are witnessing a concerning increase in inquiries related to semaglutide, an injectable medication used for diabetes management and weight loss.
- Reports of inadvertent overdoses have led to hospitalizations in some cases, with symptoms including intense nausea, vomiting and abdominal discomfort.
- Data from America’s Poison Centers reveals a startling 15-fold increase in semaglutide-related calls between January and November, primarily attributed to dosage errors, amid concerns over the safety of compounded formulations of the drug.
Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist or GLP-1 analog, gained approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017.
The medicine is marketed as Ozempic for diabetes management and Wegovy for weight loss.
In 2023, from January to November, America’s Poison Centers have reported recording nearly 2,941 calls related to semaglutide, marking a more than 15-fold increase compared to 2019.
In 94% of these cases, semaglutide was the sole reported substance involved.
Fortunately, these cases have demonstrated resolution following treatment involving intravenous fluids and anti-nausea medications.
Following the endorsement of Ozempic by celebrities on social media in 2022 for weight loss, there was a surge in demand that outpaced the available supply.
Consequently, the drug was recorded as being
This shortage opened the door for select pharmacies with appropriate qualifications to produce compounded versions of the drug.
These compounded formulations of semaglutide often diverge from the patented drug and frequently incorporate semaglutide salts, specifically semaglutide sodium and semaglutide acetate.
The FDA has
Consequently, they do not…
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