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[00:00.17] A large U.S. study found no evidence that taking Ozempic or Wegovy is tied to an increase in suicidal thoughts, researchers reported recently.

[00:13.46] Both Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and the obesity treatment Wegovy have the same active ingredient, semaglutide.

[00:24.35] The analysis included electronic medical record data from more than 1.8 million patients.

[00:32.85] Researchers actually found a lower risk of new and recurring suicidal thoughts in those taking semaglutide compared to those using other medications for weight loss or diabetes.

[00:48.79] Semaglutide belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 agonists, which were designed to treat type 2 diabetes.

[00:59.15] In addition to helping control blood sugar levels, the drugs produce a feeling of fullness.

[01:07.12] Concerns over reports of suicidal ideation connected with semaglutide led to an investigation by the European Medicines Agency.

[01:18.27] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has listed suicidal ideation as a possible safety concern for GLP-1 drugs.

[01:31.29] A Reuters examination last year found that the FDA had received 265 reports of suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients taking semaglutide or similar medicines since 2010.

[01:48.29] Thirty-six of those reports describe a death by suicide or suspected suicide.

[01:56.52] Such events do not prove a connection between a drug and a side effect.

[02:02.10] But they can signal to officials a need to study a specific risk.

[02:08.74] The study appeared online in the journal Nature.

[02:13.26] It was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

[02:17.51] The researchers examined data on 240,258 U.S. patients prescribed Wegovy or other medications for weight loss and nearly 1.6 million with type 2 diabetes prescribed Ozempic or other treatments.