Pharmacists have been asked to help identify patients for a new study examining genetic links between GLP-1 weight loss treatment and acute pancreatitis.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), in collaboration with Genomics England, is calling for patients who have been hospitalised with acute pancreatitis while taking GLP-1 medicines – including Ozempic and Mounjaro – to report the incident via the Yellow Card scheme, as part of the Yellow Card Biobank initiative.
Healthcare professionals are also being asked to help recruit for the study by reporting Yellow Cards on behalf of patients experiencing acute pancreatitis while taking GLP-1 medicines.
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GLP-1 injections are licensed for use in Type 2 diabetes and weight management. MHRA emphasised that, although serious side effects like acute pancreatitis are rare, they can be life-threatening. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain radiating to the back that does not subside.
When a Yellow Card report is received, the MHRA will contact patients to ask if they would be willing to take part in the Biobank study, where individuals will be asked to provide further information and a saliva sample to help determine whether genetic factors influence the risk of developing acute pancreatitis from GLP-1 therapies.
Professor Matt Brown, chief scientific officer at Genomics England, said: ‘We believe many adverse reactions have a genetic cause.
‘This study will support safer prescribing and a more personalised approach to treatment.’
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA chief safety officer, added: ‘Evidence shows that almost a third of side effects could be prevented through genetic testing.
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‘Adverse drug reactions cost the NHS more than £2.2bn annually in hospital stays alone. This study could be a game-changer for prescribing safety.”
Pharmacy bodies warned this week that it is ‘unlikely’ that planned provision for weight loss jabs on the NHS in GP practices will meet demand and therefore ‘many people’ will continue seeking the medication from a pharmacy.
Various concerns have been raised regarding the availability of weight loss medications online.
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For example, Philip Newland-Jones, consultant pharmacist in diabetes and endocrinology, University Hospital Southampton, said that he had ‘a patient hospitalised… who managed to get prescribed a weight loss medicine from an online pharmacy with a BMI of 21'.
The BMI healthy weight range is 18.5 to 24.9 and recently NHS England stipulated that integrated care boards must meet the costs of funding access to the weight loss injections in primary care settings for patients with a BMI of 40 or higher, and four or more weight-related comorbidities.
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