The pioneering Yellow Card Biobank, launched by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Genomics England is set to begin a study on potential side effects on the weight loss jabs, following hundreds of people reporting acute and chronic pancreatitis.
According to MHRA, the GLP-1 injections, including Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic may be associated with the inflamation of the pancreas.
Patients across the UK aged 18 or over who have been hospitalised with acute pancreatitis suspected to be related to the weight loss jabs, have been asked to report to MHRA’s Yellow Car Scheme. These medicines are sometimes referred to colloquially as “skinny jabs” although they are licensed for both weight loss and Type 2 diabetes.
“To help us help you, we’re asking anyone who has been hospitalized with acute pancreatitis while taking a GLP-1 medicine to report this to us via our Yellow Card scheme,” Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said.
The patients will then be asked if they would be willing to take part in the study, which will check whether some people are at a higher genetic risk of acute pancreatitis when taking these medicines.
“Information from the Yellow Card Biobank will help us to better predict those most at risk of adverse reactions – enabling patients across the UK to receive the safest medicine for them, based on their genetic makeup,” Dr Cave noted.
Moreover, patients will be asked to submit more information and a saliva sample, with the overall aim of reducing the occurrence of the side effects in future, says the MHRA.
The main symptoms of pancreatitis are severe pain in the stomach that radiates to the back which does not go away, fever and nausea.
MHRA notes that although acute pancreatitis reported to be related to GLP-1 medicines are infrequent, it can be serious.
