Scots nurse first in UK to die ‘after taking weight loss injection approved by NHS’
A SCOTS nurse is thought to be the first person to die in the UK after taking a weight loss injection recently approved by the NHS.
Susan McGowan, 58, passed away on September 4 after taking two low-dose injections of tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro.
She suffered from multiple organ failure, septic shock and pancreatitis, but “the use of prescribed tirzepatide” was noted as a contributing factor on her death certificate.
It is thought her death is the first officially linked to the drug in the UK, the BBC reports.
Ms McGowan, who worked at the University Hospital Monklands in Airdrie for over 30 years, often spoke about her weight loss attempts.
And after researching Mounjaro and seeking medical advice, she bought a prescription through a registered online pharmacy.
The drug, made by Eli Lilly, was approved for use in diabetic NHS patients last year.
It was developed as a diabetes drug but manufacturers noticed it also helped patients lose weight.
The drug works by helping people feel full for longer and slowing how quickly food moves through their digestive systems.
It typically costs between £150 and £200 for a four-week supply.
And it can be purchased from any registered pharmacy in the UK.
Susan was experiencing severe stomach pains and sickness days after taking her second injection.
She went along to the A&E department at Monklands.
Her niece Jade Campbell was with her when she died.
Doctors told Jade that her aunt’s kidneys were not functioning properly, and days later she went into a coma.
Her organs then began to fail.
Jade told the BBC: “It was so quick.
“I still find myself thinking, ‘has that actually happened?’
“Susan had always carried a wee bit of extra weight but there were never any health concerns. She wasn’t on any other medication. She was healthy.
“Susan was such a bubbly person. She was really generous, she was really kind and she was the life of the party – a huge personality. They said she had the biggest laugh in the hospital.”
The drug is currently only prescribed by the NHS for a small number of patients due to cost and availability.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) runs the yellow card scheme where suspected side effects of drugs can be logged by the public or a medical professional.
There were 208 reports about tirzepatide between January and May 2024 on the scheme.
These included 31 serious reactions and one suspects death of a man in his 60s.
MHRA authorises diabetes drug Mounjaro in 2023
The medicine is to be used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.
The active ingredient in this treatment, tirzepatide, works by regulating a patient’s appetite so they feel full, making them feel less hungry and experience fewer food cravings.
Mounjaro is available for weight management as a pre-filled injection pen filled with 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg of tirzepatide, injected under the skin of a patient’s stomach area, thigh or upper arm.
The starting dose is 2.5mg once a week for four weeks, increasing to 5mg once a week. The dose may then be increased in at least 4-week intervals up to the maximum dose of 15mg once weekly, if recommended by the patient’s doctor.
Julian Beach, MHRA Interim Executive Director, Healthcare Quality and Access, said: “We have prioritised rapid assessment of this new indication for Mounjaro, given the public health importance of access to new medicines to help tackle obesity.
“We have drawn on advice from the independent Commission on Human Medicines in coming to our decision, and as with all products, will keep the safety of Mounjaro under close review.”
Source: MHRA
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA chief safety officer, told the BBC: “Our sincere sympathies are with the family of individual concerned. Patient safety is our top priority and no medicine would be approved unless it met our expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.
“We have robust, safety monitoring and surveillance systems in place for all healthcare products.
“On the basis of the current evidence the benefits of GLP-1 RAs outweigh the potential risks when used for the licensed indications.”
A spokesperson for Lilly told the BBC: “We are committed to continually monitoring, evaluating, and reporting safety information for all Lilly medicines.
“Mounjaro was approved based on extensive assessment of the benefits and risks of the medicine, and we provide information about the benefits and risks of all our medicines to regulators around the world to ensure the latest information is available for prescribers.”