Silvio Garattini warns of risks from weight-loss drug misuse

Professor Silvio Garattini, oncologist and president of the Mario Negri Institute, has issued a warning regarding the misuse of weight-loss injections such as Ozempic. While these semaglutide-based drugs are effective at regulating insulin and appetite, they are officially authorized in Europe primarily for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Garattini warns that using these medications solely for aesthetic weight loss poses significant health risks, including gastroparesis, a serious condition where the stomach ceases to contract properly. He noted that these drugs often require lifelong use to prevent weight regain and emphasized that lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, remain the appropriate method for minor weight loss.

In Italy, these medications are reimbursed by the national health service specifically for obese patients with type 2 diabetes, though Garattini noted a growing trend toward seeking reimbursement for non-diabetic obese individuals.