Data from poison control centers indicates a surge in calls related to the weight loss medication semaglutide, with nearly 3,000 reported instances. This increase appears to be largely driven by concerns over potential overdoses and may be associated with the availability of unregulated compounded versions of the drug, which vary significantly in dosage and safety compared to the standard formulation.
Semaglutide was created by Novo Nordisk, a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Denmark. In 2017, it was authorized by the Food and Drug Administration to address type 2 diabetes under the brand name Ozempic. Subsequently, in 2021, it gained approval in a higher dosage for treating obesity under the name Wegovy. Clinical trials of Wegovy have shown that the medication has helped individuals shed an average of 15% of their initial weight, surpassing the typical outcomes achieved through diet and exercise alone or older obesity medications.
