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The analysis, conducted by researchers from the University of Oxford and supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre and the Medical Research Council, revealed that taking the drug, a popular medication for type 2 diabetes and, separately, for obesity, had no increased risk of adverse neurological or psychiatric outcomes compared to other antidiabetic medications, challenging recent concerns about the drug's safety.
Co-author of the study Amanda Adler, Professor of Diabetic Medicine and Health Policy from the University of Oxford’s Radcliffe Department of Medicine, said: ‘The regulatory agencies, responsible for the safety of medicines, have been looking at a potential causal association between drugs such as semaglutide and thoughts of suicide and self-injury. These drugs mimic a hormone made in the gut; they were first licensed for type 2 diabetes and now for obesity.’
‘Our study shows that people with diabetes who take semaglutide, are, if anything, at lower risk of suicide compared with people who take other drugs for diabetes. Although some of these people may have had a lower suicide risk to begin with, even before they started taking semaglutide, the results from the study are still reassuring.'
Results show drug could be used beyond diabetes
The comprehensive analysis, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, used more than 100 million patient records in the USA including over 20,000 who were taking semaglutide. It found that semaglutide:
Was not associated with an increased risk of neurological and psychiatric conditions, such as dementia, depression, or anxiety, compared to other common anti-diabetic medications.
Was associated with a lower risk of cognitive problems and nicotine dependence
‘Our results suggest that semaglutide use could extend beyond managing diabetes, potentially offering unexpected benefits in the treatment and prevention of cognitive decline and substance misuse,’ said Dr Riccardo De Giorgi, Clinical Lecturer at the University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry and lead author of the study. ‘The findings of our study therefore not only help reassure the millions of patients relying on semaglutide for diabetes management, but, if confirmed, might also have significant implications for public health in terms of reducing cognitive deficit and smoking rates among patients with diabetes.’
Further research needed to understand drug effects
While the study’s robust methodology and extensive data provide strong evidence, researchers say further investigation is needed and that it remains unclear how semaglutide may be having these effects.
Dr Max Taquet, Clinical Lecturer at the University of Oxford and senior author of the study, added: ‘Our study is observational and these results should therefore be replicated in a randomised controlled trial to confirm and extend our findings.’
‘Nevertheless, they are good news for patients with psychiatric disorders, who are at an increased risk of diabetes.’
While semaglutide is also used in people with obesity, with most diabetes patients with type 2 diabetes also presenting being overweight or obese, the findings from this study cannot be applied to people who do not have diabetes.