Two Northern Ireland Deaths Reported in Connection with Weight-Loss Injections
Two deaths in Northern Ireland, one involving a man and one a woman aged in their 40s and 60s, were reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in connection with GLP-1 medications including Mounjaro and semaglutide drugs.
These cases are part of 511 suspected adverse drug reactions from Northern Ireland submitted via the MHRA Yellow Card scheme over 2024 and 2025. Healthcare professionals filed 82% of the reports. Most reports, 458, occurred in 2025 while 53 came in 2024.
One death involved Mounjaro, known as tirzepatide. The other connected to an unspecified semaglutide medication. Among the reports, six involved acute pancreatitis, with three linked to Mounjaro, one to Ozempic, and two to unspecified brands. The MHRA issued a warning on pancreatitis risks in January.
Of the total, 242 reports were serious and 267 non-serious. One serious report involved a child aged nine or under.
In Northern Ireland, GLP-1 drugs are available via the NHS only for type 2 diabetes patients who meet criteria. Patients with BMI over 30 can access them privately from pharmacies or clinics.
At a Portaferry pharmacy clinic, 50 patients aged 18 to 75 pay £200 to £300 monthly, mainly for Mounjaro. Joanne McMullan, National Pharmacy Association Board representative for Northern Ireland, said patients lost significant weight, allowing procedures like knee surgery and enabling exercise. She noted common digestive side effects that often subside and advised watching for severe issues like gall bladder problems or pancreatitis. McMullan raised concerns about unknown long-term effects from limited data.
Prof Alex Miras of Ulster University said increased side effect reports result from greater usage, as the drugs have treated diabetes for about 20 years with known effects.
The Department of Health stressed reporting side effects to the Yellow Card scheme and regular MHRA contact to update professionals on GLP-1 safety. The Coroners Service for Northern Ireland identified no cases referred to coroners where GLP-1s contributed to death.