Comparing approximately 53,000 Wegovy patients to an equal number of closely matched users of other weight loss drugs, researchers noted that during the initial six months of usage, first-time suicidal thoughts were reported by 0.11 percent of Wegovy users compared to 0.43 percent of users of non-semaglutide drugs. After adjusting for other risk factors, researchers observed a 73 percent lower risk of first-time suicidal thoughts among Wegovy users. Notably, none of the Wegovy users reported a suicide attempt, while 14 users of other drugs did. For patients with a history of suicidal thoughts, the risk of recurring suicidal thoughts was 56 percent lower with Wegovy compared to other weight loss medicines. Similar trends were observed for the use of Ozempic compared to other diabetes medications, irrespective of patients' demographics.

While this study cannot definitively prove that GLP-1 agonists do not elevate the risk of suicidal ideation, its findings may help alleviate concerns. The researchers acknowledged limitations in assessing the statistical significance of differences in actual suicide attempts and emphasized the distinction between suicidal ideations and suicide attempts. Pamela Davis, a professor at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Ohio and one of the study's authors, highlighted the importance of comprehensively understanding all potential complications associated with the increasing use of Ozempic. Davis asserted that suggestions linking the drug to suicidal thoughts are not substantiated by the findings derived from this extensive and diverse U.S. population study.