The drug regulator has added two new safety warnings about mental health and contraception for people taking high-profile diabetes and weight-loss drugs.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) says that because suicidal behavior and ideation have been reported with these relatively new GLP-1 receptor agonists, doctors should “monitor patients for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior”.
This warning about the possible risk of suicidal thoughts applies to the GLP-1 RA class of drugs, including Ozempic, Vegovy, Saxenda, Trulicity, and Monzaro.
The TGA has also issued a separate warning about Monjaro and contraception.
After investigating for the first time a possible reduced effectiveness of oral contraceptives when taking or increasing the dose of Monzaro, the TGA said it could not rule out a link.
As a precautionary measure, they have updated the product warnings for Monjaro to include advice for patients using oral contraceptives to switch to a non-oral contraceptive or add a barrier method of contraception for four weeks after first taking the drug and for four weeks after each increase in dose.
They say that any drug in the GLP-1 RA class should not be used during pregnancy.
<a href