Health3 min(s) read
Published 11:55 07 Aug 2026 GMT
More than 200 deaths have been reported to health regulators as potentially linked to popular weight-loss injections, according to newly released figures, with one brand of the drug being more lethal than others.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has also received reports of more than 158,000 suspected adverse reactions involving the medications, which have surged in popularity in recent years.
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Patients and healthcare professionals can report suspected side effects from medicines through the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme.
However, the regulator stresses that reports do not prove a medicine caused a reaction or death - only that there is a suspicion of a possible link.
The regulator said it continues to monitor the safety of GLP-1 medications, including reviewing scientific research and reports submitted by patients and healthcare professionals.
"As with all medicines, the safety of GLP-1s is kept under continual review, including emerging evidence from spontaneous data and scientific publications," the MHRA said.
It added that any new safety concerns would be communicated quickly.
"Any potential updates regarding the safety of these medicines would be promptly communicated to patients and healthcare professionals, and appropriate steps taken to mitigate any identified risk," the spokesperson said.
The MHRA concluded that, based on current evidence, the benefits of the medications remain greater than the potential risks when they are prescribed and used correctly.
"On the basis of the current evidence, the benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists outweigh the potential risks when used in line with their authorised uses," the regulator said.
Figures from the scheme show that tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, has been linked to the highest number of reported incidents.
A total of 106,189 suspected adverse reactions, including gastrointestinal issues, have been reported for tirzepatide, alongside 120 deaths.
Meanwhile, semaglutide, the active ingredient in weight-loss injection Wegovy and diabetes medications Ozempic and Rybelsus, has been associated with 48,089 reported adverse reactions and 59 suspected deaths.
Another weight-loss medication, liraglutide, which is sold as Saxenda and is also used in some diabetes treatments, has been linked to 4,491 suspected adverse reactions and 37 reported deaths.
The MHRA emphasised that the figures should be viewed in context, explaining that a report submitted through the Yellow Card system does not confirm that a medicine was responsible.
An MHRA spokesperson said: "It is important to place these reports in the context of the millions of GLP-1 prescriptions issued in the UK."
They added that the number of reports can be affected by factors including increased use of the drugs and greater awareness of possible side effects.
"Reporting volumes can be influenced by increased use, greater awareness of a potential adverse reaction and other factors," the spokesperson said.
