Australia’s drug regulator issues mental health warning for weight-loss drugs including Ozempic | Health

The medicines regulator has added two new safety warnings on mental health and birth control for people taking high-profile diabetes and weight loss drugs.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) says that because suicidal behavior and ideation have been reported with these relatively new GLP-1 receptor agonists, doctors should “monitor patients for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior.”

The warning regarding the potential risk of suicidal ideation applies to the GLP-1 RA class of drugs, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda, Trulicity, and Mounjaro.

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The TGA also issued a separate warning about Mounjaro and contraception.

The TGA said it could not rule out an association after investigating the potential for reduced effectiveness of oral contraception when first taking or increasing the dose of Mounjaro.

As a precautionary measure, Mounjaro’s product warnings have been updated to include further advice for patients taking oral contraceptives to switch to a non-oral contraceptive or add a barrier method of contraception for four weeks after first taking the medication and for four weeks after each increase in dose.

He added that none of the GLP-1 RA class drugs should be used during pregnancy.