Overdoses relating to medication used for weight loss such as Ozempic and Wegovy are on the rise in Belgium, according to a spokesperson from the country's public health service.
Speaking to Flemish outlet Nieuwsblad, Patrick De Cock, from the Poison Control Centre of Belgium's SPF Santé Publique, indicated that the service was increasingly receiving calls from people who had taken excessive doses of weight-loss or anti-diabetic drugs.
As of July of this year, the service had received 41 calls, compared to 50 over the entirety of 2024. The final figure for this calendar year is expected to reach three figures, which De Cock attributes to a continued upward trend in the use of the medication.
The popularity of weight-loss drugs has seen a dramatic increase in Belgium over the last few years. According to a report published last week, the number of reimbursement claims for the medication has increased twentyfold since 2021.
The Belgian government imposed restrictions on prescriptions of the anti-diabetic Ozempic in 2023 after demand skyrocketed due to its success as a weight-loss drug, although this is not its stated purpose. These restrictions currently remain in place until the end of this month, with the medication reserved for people with Type 2 diabetes or a high BMI.
Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy are brand names for Semaglutide, an anti-diabetes and anti-obesity medication that lowers blood sugar levels and suppresses the appetite, which is sold by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. Wegovy, the weight-loss version of Ozempic, was made available in Belgium this summer. A similar diabetes and weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, entered the Belgian market last year and is only available through prescription.
"People hope that a higher dose will help them lose weight faster, but more isn't always better," De Cock added. Professor Christophe Stove, of the University of Gent, explained to Nieuwsblad that the main side effects included "gastrointestinal complaints: nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea".
Stove also warned against buying from unlicensed vendors, and that the medication should be taken "under medical supervision to determine suitability, a suitable dosage schedule, and to minimise the risk of side effects."
