EMA warns that non-obese people should not use diabetes drugs to lose weight

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) warns that GLP-1 analogues such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro, indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes,should not be used for aesthetic weight loss“people who are not obese or do not have health problems associated with being overweight.

With this wake up call The EMA’s goal is to prevent off-label use from leading to shortages and problems with access to these drugs for patients who truly need them. For this reason, he also encouraged health care providers to “offer these people” without health problems who are seeking to lose weight “advice on how to live a (healthy) lifestyle instead of” considering the use of medications not intended for weight loss for aesthetic reasons. a practice that has also caused shortages of the drug in the EU.

Karl Broich, President of the Federal Institute of Medicines and Medical Devices (BfArM) and President of the Network of Heads of Medical Agencies (HMA), also emphasized the need know “how many recipes are made outside the technical sheet“because they claim that they are aware of the existence of this problem, “but we must conduct an investigation to quantify the situation.”

At the same press conference, EMA director Emer Cooke said they were working on prepare a report in this regard, it allows them to consider this circumstance in more depth. “We hope to have concrete and specific data in the coming months,” he predicted.

A criticism hidden behind all that part of aesthetic medicine that promotes use of these drugs in your center offer Electronic procedures for image enhancement and erasing those extra pounds. “GLP-1 receptor analogues are not approved and should not be used for cosmetic weight loss.“, that is, people who are not obese or overweight who do not have weight-related health problems,” the European agency warns.

Controlled use for correct medical purposes.

Cook warned that demand for GLP-1 receptor analogues “continues to increase and supplies are currently unable to keep up” and there have been worldwide shortages of these drugs since 2022. “We must ensure that patients who need these drugs most have access,” he added.

“The situation will not be resolved in 2024, it is complicated by many factors” said the EMA director, and also “called on everyone to do their part” and address the shortage, which includes industry, healthcare workers, patients and the general public.

In this sense, the EMA called on European countries to “develop guidelines to facilitate prioritization“patients in need. It is up to states to control access to these medicines and ensure that no patient is left without treatment.

They also point out the need to check where these drugs are purchased since demand has led to their purchase. counterfeits through online sales. These medications are of poor quality or do not even respond to the corresponding active ingredient.

“The continued high demand for these drugs also attracts criminal activity, increasing the risk that counterfeit products enter the market with serious public health implications.” To avoid this risk, GLP-1 receptor agonists should not be purchased without a prescription.. When purchasing online, the order must be placed in pharmacies registered with the competent national authorities of the EU Member States.

Correct messages: “This is not about losing two or three kilograms”

The European regulator insisted that frequent mention in the media and social networks The trend of using these drugs among people who want to lose weight for image reasons has “exacerbated the existing shortage“, increasing production capacity constraints.

The EMA reminded that pharmaceutical companies “must ensure that the messages they use to promote these medicines have been approved by regulatory authorities” and noted that the statements they make must be “consistent with the rational use of these medicines and public health objectives “

To combat abuse, he also called on pharmaceutical companies to “consider implementing weight loss awareness campaigns and education efforts about the ongoing shortage and its implications for clinical practice.”

What are the medications for diabetes and obesity problems?

Drugs Bidureon, Bietta, Lyxumia, Ozempic, Ribelsus, Trulicity and Victoza. listed in the EU only for diabetesa CAksenda and Vegovy They are intended for weight control (specific cases of obesity and overweight), for example: addition to diet and exercise in people who are obese or have health problems associated with being overweight.

For its part, Mujaro (tirzepatide), which will be available in Spanish pharmacies from July 1, is approved for both the treatment of diabetes and weight control under certain conditions.

In addition, the EMA reminded that, like all medicines, they have side effects such as problems with the digestive system such as diarrhea and nausea.

GLP1 analogues increase the amount of insulin released by the pancreas in response to food, which helps control blood glucose levels and also appears to regulate appetite, increasing a person’s feeling of fullness while decreasing appetite, hunger, and food cravings.