Abstract

As semaglutide (Ozempic®) is being used off-label for weight reduction so quickly, safety concerns have been raised, including the risk of acute pancreatitis, since it is a known adverse effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist drugs. This study aimed to compile and synthesize the evidence showing an elevated risk of acute pancreatitis in non-diabetic individuals using the weight-loss drug Ozempic. The search was carried out by following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines from 2021 to 2026; a systematic review of the literature was carried out using the search engines. Studies that assessed semaglutide’s capacity to encourage weight reduction in overweight or obese individuals and offered details on acute pancreatitis were qualified for inclusion. Because of a high level of heterogeneity, narrative synthesis was performed. In all included studies, 9,046-16,316 patients treated with semaglutide, the rate of acute pan creatitis was low, ranging from 0% in a 36-week study in Turkish patients to 0.08% in a 48-week study in French patients. A difference in reporting of pancreatitis between liraglutide and semaglutide was observed as part of the pharmacovigilance data. Acute pancreatitis is associated with a low absolute risk with semaglutide treatment for weight management and could lower the risk for recurrence in people with a history of acute pancreatitis. The benefit-risk of using semaglutide in obesity is still favorable, but further trials in non-diabetic populations are warranted to further establish the safety of the drug for the pancreas.

Key words: Semaglutide, Ozempic, GLP-1 receptor agonist, acute pancreatitis, weight reduction, off-label use, obesity, pharmacovigilance, review