Poison centers across the country say they’ve seen an increase in calls involving accidental poisonings related to the injectable drug semaglutide, which is used for type 2 diabetes and weight loss.
America’s Poison Centers — which operates the National Poison Helpline — told PEOPLE that their 55 poison centers received 2,941 calls from January to November, a 1,500% increase from 2019. In 94% of the calls, semaglutide was the only reported substance, per CNN.
Some affected people were hospitalized with symptoms including vomiting, severe nausea and abdominal pain, but most cases resolved with treatment such as intravenous fluids and anti-nausea drugs.
dr. Kait Brown, clinical director of the US Poison Centers, told CNN that most callers reported dosing errors. “It’s often a person who may have accidentally taken a double dose or taken the wrong dose,” Brown told the news outlet.
Ozempic FAQ: All about the weight-loss drug — Yes, you’ll likely gain weight when you stop taking it
Semaglutide, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2017, is sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy. A number of celebrities have spoken publicly about their drug use, including Sharon Osbourne and Robbie Williams.
In a June 2023 report published in Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Dr. Joseph Lambson, director of the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center, studied three people who called Utah’s poison control hotline and reported experiencing adverse symptoms after taking the drug semaglutide. Two people accidentally took 10 times the standard dose of the drug.
In the report, Lambson pointed to compounded versions of the drug, which typically come in multi-dose glass vials and require patients to draw their own doses into syringes. He noted that these versions lack the safety features provided by the pre-filled pens used by brand-name drug manufacturers.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“These three semaglutide cases highlight the potential for patient harm given current practice,” Lambson wrote in the report. “Vials of compounded semaglutide do not use the safety features provided by prefilled manufactured syringes and allow large overdoses (eg, 10-fold dosing errors). The use of syringes not designed for semaglutide contributes to the variability of dosing units (milliliters, units, milligrams). ), contributing patients’ confusion.”
Sharon Osbourne leaves Ozempic after losing 42 kg. — Here’s what happens when you stop taking the medicine
Despite their safety features, pre-filled syringes are not completely safe. Julie Weber, director of the Missouri Poison Center, told CNN that many of the semaglutide calls her center has received this year have been related to the misuse of click pens.
One caller reported that he accidentally turned the pen all the way, injecting himself with a full month’s worth in one injection. “They got the pen wrong. They didn’t know how to use it properly and they turned it around and took it as a whole pen instead of just the dose that was supposed to happen,” Weber told CNN.
In a statement to CNN, Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, said the company prioritizes consumer safety. “We are taking multiple steps to ensure the responsible use of our semaglutide medications, which are detailed at semaglutide.com,” the statement said.
In his report, Lambson advised that patient education is key to preventing drug abuse and overdose.
“To address such concerns, we encourage increased vigilance in labeling, dispensing, and counseling practices to ensure patients can confidently administer their medications regardless of formulation,” he wrote. “We further encourage pharmaceutical boards and other regulatory agencies to promote the proper use and dispensing of compounded semaglutide.”
For questions about poisoning or if you need emergency help, please contact Poison Help at 1-800-222-122 or visit PoisonHelp.org.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education