UK regulator reports over 200 deaths linked to GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recorded 216 suspected deaths and more than 158,000 adverse‑reaction reports linked to GLP‑1 weight‑loss injections such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide). The Yellow Card scheme shows 106,189 reports – including 120 deaths – for Mounjaro, 48,089 reports with 59 deaths for Wegovy, and 4,491 reports with 37 deaths for Saxenda. Annual fatalities rose sharply, climbing from 22 in 2024 to 94 in 2025 – a 300 % increase. A recent inquest highlighted the case of 73‑year‑old Caroline Savage, who died of faecal peritonitis after increasing her Mounjaro dose. Separate clinical research published in The BMJ found that patients taking Mounjaro were 33 % less likely to suffer a heart attack than those on sitagliptin, with a 32 % relative reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events. The MHRA stresses that reported deaths do not prove causation but underline the need for careful prescribing and monitoring.
Entities: BMJ · Caroline Savage · Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) · Mounjaro (tirzepatide) · Mounjaro (tirzepatide) · Saxenda (liraglutide) · Sitagliptin · Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) · UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) · Wegovy (semaglutide) · Wegovy (semaglutide)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] At least 216 deaths in the UK have been linked to weight‑loss drugs Mounjaro and Wegovy. (6cd06f1f-d530-4a76-8412-70616be03695)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The study found a 32% relative reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events for Mounjaro versus sitagliptin. (BMJ cardiovascular study)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Tirzepatide reduced major adverse cardiovascular events to 2.9% versus 4.4% for sitagliptin in a study of about 53,000 patients. (4628ff50-7339-4ec8-b353-b806e4b68e9c, 7c74c100-ea73-476b-923b-795d398d74e4)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Mounjaro reduced the risk of heart attack by 33% compared with sitagliptin. (BMJ study)
- [● 2 SOURCES] No meaningful difference in ischemic stroke risk was observed between tirzepatide and sitagliptin. (4628ff50-7339-4ec8-b353-b806e4b68e9c, 7c74c100-ea73-476b-923b-795d398d74e4)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] UK annual deaths from these drugs rose from 22 to 94 between 2024 and 2025, a 300% increase. (6cd06f1f-d530-4a76-8412-70616be03695)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Tirzepatide reduced hospital admissions for infections, preventing one admission per 48 patients treated. (4628ff50-7339-4ec8-b353-b806e4b68e9c, 7c74c100-ea73-476b-923b-795d398d74e4)
- [● 4 SOURCES] One MACE case is prevented for every 70 patients treated with Mounjaro. (BMJ cardiovascular study)
- [● 6 SOURCES] For tirzepatide (Mounjaro), 106,189 adverse reactions were reported, including 120 deaths. (MHRA Yellow Card data)
- [● 7 SOURCES] The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) received 216 reports of deaths linked to GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs. (MHRA data)
- [● 7 SOURCES] More than 158,000 adverse reaction reports have been submitted to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme for GLP‑1 drugs. (MHRA Yellow Card data)
- [● 6 SOURCES] For liraglutide (Saxenda), 4,491 adverse reactions were reported, including 37 deaths. (MHRA Yellow Card data)