Ozempic, Wegovy linked to rare cases of eye disorder, EMA says – National

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Ozempic, Wegovy linked to rare cases of eye disorder, EMA says – National

Descrease article font size

Increase article font size

The European Medicines Agency’s safety committee has concluded that the use of Novo Nordisk’s popular weight-loss drug Wegovy and its treatments for type 2 diabetes may cause rare occurrences of a potentially dangerous eye condition.

Called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), the condition may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people taking semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Novo’s diabetes drugs Ozempic and Rybelsus, the regulator said on Friday.

The EMA, which started its review in December, said the use of the drugs is linked to about twofold increase in the risk of developing the condition compared to people not taking the medicine.

NAION develops from insufficient blood flow to the optic nerve and causes sudden painless vision loss in one eye. It is the second most common cause of blindness due to optic nerve damage, after glaucoma.

Story continues below advertisement

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png">

1:54
GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy reduce Alzheimer’s risk for those with diabetes

Studies have linked semaglutide to NAION in the past. But this is the first time a regulator has made the link.

Trending Now

• This is the hidden content, please

  • Sign In
  • or
  • Sign Up

  /applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png">

  Carney says record trade deficit shows his plan is the ‘right strategy’

• This is the hidden content, please

  • Sign In
  • or
  • Sign Up

  /applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png">

  Doorbell camera shows wanted dad days before his 3 daughters found dead

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png">

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

Semaglutide belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which work by helping control blood sugar levels and triggering a feeling of fullness.

A large study of nearly 350,000 diabetics published earlier this year had showed that the risk of developing NAION more than doubled after long-term use of semaglutide, compared to patients taking medicines from other classes.

The EMA said it has reviewed all available data on NAION with semaglutide, including data from non-clinical studies, clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance.

It has recommended the drugmaker to update prescribing information for medicines containing semaglutide to include NAION as a side effect with a frequency of “very rare.”

Story continues below advertisement

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

More on Lifestyle
More videos

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#Ozempic #Wegovy #linked #rare #cases #eye #disorder #EMA #National

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up