• GLP-1 receptor agonists are a class of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity and are sold under many brand names, including Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro.
• Although rare, these injections are associated with some side effects, including acute pancreatitis and inflammation of the pancreas.
• The UK has updated its guidance on weight loss injections following a recent increase in such reports.
• Experts agree that this is not a cause for alarm, but people should be informed about this risk and the signs of pancreatitis to be aware of.

GLP-1 agonists used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, such as Wegovy, Ozempic, and Mounjaro, are growing in popularity and will be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2025. Wegovy oral tablets approved For weight loss.

But while these drugs are life-changing for some, they have also been linked to several illnesses. Serious but rare side effects. One effect that has received attention recently is acute pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis is a disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed, causing symptoms such as sudden abdominal pain, nausea, and swelling. Patient information leaflets for drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro state that pancreatitis is a “rare” side effect and that approximately 1 in 100 patients.

data it shows 1.6 million adults England, Wales and Scotland will use GLP-1 drugs for weight loss from 2024 to 2025.

In the UK, between 2007 and October 2025. 1,296 yellow card reports There have been reports of pancreatitis associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists or dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists, 19 of which were fatal.

Today’s medical news We spoke to three medical experts — Hector PerezM.D., is a board-certified bariatric surgeon at Renew Bariatrics and an advisor to BestSurgeons. Mir AliM.D., bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center, Orange Coast Medical Center, Fountain Valley, California; david cutlerMD, Board Certified Family Medicine Physician at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California — approx. weight loss injectionsits side effects, and how to spot the signs of acute pancreatitis.

Mr Perez described the MHRA update as “responsible risk management” and said the decision was consistent with real-world data.

“GLP-1 receptor agonists and associated incretin therapies have reliably known pancreatic signals in post-marketing surveillance and case reports. This is rare, but serious enough that regulators in multiple countries are now monitoring it more closely. The difference here is that UK clinicians and regulators are responding to clusters of real patients rather than just individual reports, and that’s important,” he said. MNT.

Ali said the updated guidance was not meant to scare users, but was a decision made with patient safety in mind.

“While the risk of pancreatitis with GLP-1 agonist drugs is well-documented, the incidence remains very low (0.27% to 2.2% depending on the study). The increase in reported cases is likely due to the widespread use of these drugs. The UK’s latest guidance is in line with existing medical guidelines,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cutler reassured GLP-1 users that “pancreatitis is a recognized but rare risk” associated with the injection.

“A recent medication alert from the UK recognized this risk, but there are other studies that have said there is no increased risk,” he said.

How safe is GLP-1?

“What this means for most people is that if they do not derive significant benefit from GLP-1 drugs, the risks may far outweigh the potential benefits. For people without pre-existing pancreatic disease, GLP-1 drugs are thought to have a good safety profile, and pancreatitis is rare and has not been clearly demonstrated to be increased in well-controlled trial data.”
— Dr. David Cutler

Cutler said that for most people, the absolute risk of experiencing pancreatitis would be very low. However, he identified several factors that may contribute to the increased risk.

“[P]Patients with diabetes or obesity, which is the reason for using GLP-1 drugs, often have pre-existing risk factors for pancreatitis, such as: gallstonesvery high triglyceride, heavy use of alcoholor a history of pancreatitis. “These factors need to be considered when assessing the balance of benefits and risks of using GLP-1 drugs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Perez stressed that pancreatitis is a rare side effect of GLP-1 drugs, but people should be aware of its signs.

“Most patients should be careful, but there’s no need to panic, because acute pancreatitis is still rare, but not completely rare. Our biggest concerns are gallstones, heavy alcohol consumption, hypertriglyceridemiaor pre-existing pancreatic disease,” he told us.

“For some people, metabolic syndrome “A person who takes GLP-1 and drinks heavily every weekend has a different risk profile than someone who has well-controlled diabetes, normal lipids, and does not use any alcohol,” Perez said.

Ali explained the symptoms of pancreatitis that you should be aware of.

“The most common sign of pancreatitis is severe, persistent pain in the upper mid-abdominal region that can extend into the back. This is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. As the inflammation progresses, fever and chills may occur. If patients experience these symptoms, they should seek immediate medical attention,” he explained.

“Watch for sudden, severe mid-upper abdominal pain that radiates down your back, pain that gets worse after eating or lying down, nausea or vomiting that doesn’t go away, and abdominal tenderness or distension. Any pain that doesn’t feel typical. [gastrointestinal] If you’re agitated and your diet and exercise are disproportionate, you should take it seriously. ”
— Dr. Hector Perez

Perez also pointed out that GLP-1-related pancreatitis does not always have “textbook” symptoms.

“Some patients complain of vague discomfort, bloating, and early satiety that do not respond to antiemetics, but a high index of suspicion can avoid delaying diagnosis. Unfortunately, patients often receive the diagnosis when everything else has been ruled out, and they are in considerable pain at that point,” he said.

Dr. Cutler urged patients to seek immediate medical treatment if they develop symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, back pain, nausea or vomiting.

“Most of the time, [of pancreatitis] Even if resolved with supportive care and drug withdrawal, pancreatitis can progress to a more severe condition,” Ali added.

Ali said patients should receive all necessary information about potential side effects before starting medication.

“The most common side effects are gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but serious complications such as pancreatitis are less frequent. To minimize risk, start the drug at a low dose and increase it gradually. This advice is the same whether the drug is for diabetes or if the dose is being reduced.”

Mr. Cutler detailed some of the most common side effects of GLP-1.

“The most common reactions are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipationgastroesophageal reflux disease. Less common reactions associated with these drugs include: medullary thyroid cancer risks, severe allergic reactions, and possible pancreatitis. ”

As with any drug, doctors and patients need to weigh the risks against the benefits, he added.

“I learned directly from patients about the lesser-known side effects of GLP-1, which a small number of patients described as ‘debilitating.’ head fog”, is another symptom that is present, although less discussed. “I’ve heard of some people reporting ‘the worst epigastric pain imaginable’ along with persistent nausea, but thankfully that wasn’t my patient, and that’s exactly the set of symptoms we worry about with pancreatitis,” he said.

However, Ali said the safety and side effect profile may vary from person to person.

“Tirzepatide, which stimulates both GLP-1 and GIP receptors, appears to have fewer side effects, but sensitivity varies among individuals,” he said.

“I believe that these medicines should not be demonized or that signs of real harm should be minimized. The MHRA’s latest information is only a reminder that powerful medicines require extreme vigilance, and until we have larger, longer-term real-world safety data, clinicians should err on the side of specificity in monitoring and patients should be told exactly what to look out for.”
— Dr. Hector Perez