An increasing number of patients hospitalized for severe abdominal pain has highlighted a phenomenon that the British health authorities are now taking very seriously. Since the beginning of 2025, several hundred cases of pancreatitis have been reported in people who used injectable treatments facilitating weight loss. These drugs, long hailed for their effectiveness, are today at the center of a national survey aimed at better understanding the side effects of weight loss drugs and understanding why certain profiles seem more exposed than others to sometimes fatal complications.
Among the products concerned, names now well known like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro. The latter, based on shooting, alone concentrates almost half of the reports. According to The Guardian, 101 cases of pancreatitis were reported for Mounjaro in 2025. The British Medicines Agency (MHRA) decided to open an investigation to better understand the potential links between these treatments and the pancreatic disorders observed.
What reveals data on the side effects of weight loss drugs
The first analyzes show a more balanced situation than you think. According to the BBC, the side effects linked to the drugs to lose weight remain uncommon, despite their broad use. But their severity pushes to remain very careful. Acute pancreatitis is one of the rare reactions mentioned in the notices. She would touch about one in a hundred. This inflammation causes strong stomach pain, nausea and a hard fever. In many cases, hospitalization is necessary.
Science Alert points out that the risk does not seem to concern all patients in the same way. It depends on a combination of factors, including age, sex, medical history … and potentially genetic predispositions still poorly understood. It is precisely on this last point that the researchers intend to concentrate their efforts.
A genomic survey to prevent risks in the future
The survey launched by the MHRA and Genomics England marks a turning point in the approach of pharmacovigilance. The objective is to explore whether some people would be genetically more vulnerable to the side effects of weight loss drugs. For this, they invite hospitalized patients after taking these treatments to participate in a study via the Yellow Card platform. Participants must provide a saliva sample, which researchers will analyze to identify possible genetic markers linked to serious pancreatitis.
As reported by the British government's official website, this initiative is part of a broader movement towards personalized medicine. By detecting risk profiles even before prescription, healthcare professionals could adapt the treatments in a finer way, thus avoiding serious reactions. According to the MHRA, almost a third of the side effects could be avoided thanks to this type of screening.
Professor Matt Brown, scientific director of Genomics England, recalls that even the most promising drugs still have a share of risk. It pleads for a more targeted approach, which combines therapeutic efficiency and individual security. In parallel, he insists on the importance of not diverting these treatments from their framed medical use. An essential recall, while more and more patients get them via unofficial channels, without adequate follow -up.
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