FDA Calls for Removal of Suicide Warnings from Weight-Loss Drugs
Do GLP-1 drugs reduce suicide risk, or do they increase it by 45% as some international research suggests?
Above: A weighing scale in a bathroom in Berlin, Germany on April 1, 2022. Image credit: Annette Riedl/Picture Alliance/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
Large-scale research definitively shows GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide pose no increased suicide risk. Studies of over 60,000 patients found those on semaglutide actually reported lower rates of suicidal ideation than patients on other weight-loss medications, with zero suicide attempts versus 14 in comparison groups.
Narrative B
International research reveals that semaglutide carries a 45% higher risk of suicidal ideation compared to other medications, particularly dangerous for patients with anxiety or depression. The 107 reported cases and two completed suicides demand urgent clarification and warrant precautionary warnings on medication labels.