Texas Poison Center Network reports 500% increase in calls related to 'weight loss drugs,' like Ozempic

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As some drugs containing semaglutide that can lead to weight loss — such as Ozempic and Wegovy — have increased in popularity, so have the number of calls to U.S. and Texas poison control centers. 

The Federal Drug Administration has approved three products that contain semaglutide. Among other things, these products are prescribed to lower blood sugar levels in patients with Type 2 Diabetes and help people with obesity remove excess weight, the FDA said.

While both Ozempic and Wegovy contain semaglutide, the FDA has only approved Wegovy to help people ages 12 and over lose weight.

“Since 2019, Texas poison centers have seen about a 500% increase in calls related to weight loss drugs like semaglutide,” said Lizbeth Petty, the public health education manager at the North Texas Poison Center.

Up until Dec. 13, the Texas Poison Center Network had received 490 reports related to semaglutide thus far in 2023, compared to only 86 calls in 2019, Petty said. 

“In terms of the increase of semaglutide calls, [these medications] did become more popular — it's been FDA approved for quite some time — but we do see that it became popular for weight loss,” Petty added. 

The increased number of reports in Texas mirrors a national trend. There were 15 times the reports of semaglutide exposure in 2023 across the country than there were in 2019, according to CNN. 

Fortunately, Petty said the majority of the calls in Texas were from people with mild symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or low blood sugar. Of the nearly 500 calls to the Texas Poison Center Network, no one died and there were very few severe cases, Petty said. 

Petty reported that most calls came from Texas women between the ages of 50 to 70. 

“One interesting note about our data is that while most calls included adults, a small percentage of calls included children under the age of six,” Petty said. “As you can imagine, children are curious. If we leave the medication out, often kids mimic behaviors.”

To avoid an accidental overdose, Petty advised people to read medication labels and talk to a healthcare professional about the risks and benefits of taking a product containing semaglutide. 

“If you have any questions, and cannot reach your healthcare provider, the Poison Center is a great resource,” Petty said. “We have experts who are going to take your call [and] nurses, pharmacists, and doctors who are going to walk you through a scenario to make sure you take the right amount of medicine.”