The Limburg public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the sudden death of a 46-year-old woman from Lommel, a spokesperson said on Tuesday, confirming a report by Het Laatste Nieuws.
Investigators will try to determine whether the woman's body showed evidence of an overdose of semaglutide, a substance used as an appetite suppressant found in medications such as Ozempic, Belga News Agency reports.
The woman was admitted to the emergency room at Pelt Hospital in a critical condition, where she died on 18 November. The Limburg public prosecutor’s office then initiated the procedure for unusual deaths.
A forensic pathologist performed an external and internal examination of the body, followed by toxicological analysis. The results of the latter are not yet known, according to Belga.
“The victim likely purchased this weight-loss product online and used it without medical supervision. The investigation is being conducted by the local police in Lommel, under the direction of the investigating judge in Hasselt,” said Anna Degraen, spokesperson for the Limburg public prosecutor’s office.
Semaglutide is an analogue of GLP-1, one of the body’s satiety hormones. One of the best-known brands is Ozempic, a drug marketed to treat Type 2 diabetes, but which subsequently gained popularity as a weight-loss aid for obesity or being overweight.
This medication is normally only available by prescription, and strict medical supervision is recommended during its use.
Overdoses on the rise in Belgium
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 Het Nieuwsblad, Patrick De Cock, from the Poison Control Centre of Belgium's Health Ministry, 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 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 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.
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 Ghent, explained to Het 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."
