Thyroid Cancer Concerns Raised Regarding Active Ingredient in Popular Drugs Ozempic and Wegovy

Thyroid Cancer Concerns Raised Regarding Active Ingredient in Popular Drugs Ozempic and Wegovy
Boxes of the diabetes drug Ozempic rest on a pharmacy counter on April 17, 2023, in Los Angeles, Calif. Mario Tama/Getty Images
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The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued a drug safety signal (pdf) regarding the potential risk of thyroid cancer associated with certain classes of medications that include semaglutide, the active ingredient in the widely used drugs Ozempic, approved for Type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy, approved for obesity.

The medications in question are glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Their manufacturers, including Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, and Sanofi Winthrop, must submit supplementary information by July 26, 2023.