Limited · human
This cross-sectional study examined self-reported outcomes among 486 adults in Kuwait who were using or had previously used GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) injections — Semaglutide (n=181), Liraglutide (n=152), or Tirzepatide (n=132) — for weight loss, surveyed between February and May 2024. Participants completed an online questionnaire covering demographics, weight change, side effects, and quality of life. The study found that Tirzepatide users reported the highest average monthly and annual weight loss, along with the greatest satisfaction (88%) and most frequently reported improvements in quality of life (60%) compared to the other two agents. Side-effect profiles differed across groups: Tirzepatide users more commonly reported belching, while Liraglutide users reported higher rates of anxiety and were more likely to switch medications. No statistically significant differences were observed between groups in BMI, dietary adherence, or treatment compliance. Key limitations include the cross-sectional, self-report design, recruitment via online survey (introducing selection bias), lack of clinical verification of outcomes, and the inability to establish causality. The study also does not account for differences in duration of use, dosing, or baseline characteristics across groups.
Frontiers in nutrition · May 2025DOI ↗ Limited · human
This market surveillance study investigated the quality and safety risks of semaglutide products sold without a prescription through illegal online pharmacies. Researchers analyzed 1,080 links from search engine results pages, identifying 59 unique illegal online pharmacy websites. Web traffic data showed the top 30 affiliated domains accumulated over 4.7 million visits in a three-month period. Test purchases were attempted from six illegal vendors; three injection vials were delivered (three prefilled pens were never delivered, representing e-commerce scams). Visual inspection of the vials revealed noncompliance in 59–63% of evaluated packaging criteria, flagging them as probable substandard or falsified products. Laboratory analysis using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry found semaglutide content exceeded labeled amounts by 28.56–38.69%, while measured purity was critically low (7.7–14.37%), far below the 99% claimed on labels. Endotoxin contamination was detected in all samples (2.16–8.95 EU/mg), posing a serious injection safety risk. No viable microorganisms were detected at the time of testing. The study's limitations include a small number of purchased samples and a single geographic/time window of surveillance. The authors conclude that unregulated online semaglutide markets present significant public health risks analogous to earlier waves of illicit erectile dysfunction drug sales.
Journal of medical Internet research · Nov 2024DOI ↗ 🧪 TrialLimited · human
Registered Phase 3 interventional trial (completed), with sponsor-posted results. This study will compare the new medicine IcoSema, which is a combination of insulin icodec and semaglutide, taken once a week, to semaglutide taken once a week in people with type 2 diabetes. The study will look at how well IcoSema controls blood sugar level in people with type 2 diabetes compared to semaglutide. Participants will either get IcoSema or semaglutide. Which treatment participants get is decided by chance. IcoSema is a new medicine that doctors cannot prescribe. Doctors can already prescribe semaglut
ClinicalTrials.gov · Feb 2022View trial ↗