Nurse’s death aged 58 linked to recently approved NHS weight loss drug
The death of a Scottish nurse has been linked to the use of a weight loss drug which was recently approved for use on the NHS.
Susan McGowan, 58, passed away on 4 September this year after suffering from multiple organ failure, septic shock and pancreatitis - each of which were listed as her immediate cause of death.
But the use of 'prescribed tirzepatide' - an injection which helps people shed the pounds - was also recorded as a contributing factor.
It is thought to be the first death in the UK that has been officially linked to drug produced by pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly, according to the BBC.
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The drug, which was developed for adults with type 2 diabetes, was approved for use on the NHS last year by the UK's medicines watchdog.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that it could also help obese and overweight people lose weight, which researchers saying it could be 'game-changing'.
Tirzepatide - also known under the brand name Mounjaro - works by mimicking hormones which make people feel full after eating, while slowing down how quickly food moves through the digestive system.
In turn, this encourages them to eat less and therefore lose weight.
It typically costs between £150 and £200 for a four-week supply.
Following its approval, a spokesperson for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said: "We are pleased to confirm that we have authorised Mounjaro (tirzepatide) – a new class of treatment for adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes.
"No medicine would be approved unless it meets our expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness."
Susan, from North Lanarkshire, took two low-dose injections of tirzepatide in the two-week period before her death earlier this year.
She had researched the drug and sought medical advice about it, before purchasing a prescription of it through a registered online pharmacy.
The nurse - who worked at the University Hospital Monklands in Airdrie for more than three decades - often discussed her weight loss attempts with her loved ones and decided the jabs might aid her.
However, just days after administering her second injection, Susan began to experience severe stomach pains and sickness, prompting her to rush to A&E at her place of work.
Her colleagues fought to save her life as her condition began to deteriorate, while Susan's niece Jade Campbell was informed that her aunt's kidneys were no longer functioning properly.
The 58-year-old fell into a coma days later, before doctors realised her organs had began to fail.
"It was so quick," Jade told the BBC. "I still find myself thinking, 'Has that actually happened?'
"Susan had always carried a wee bit of extra weight but there were never any health concerns. She wasn't on any other medication. She was healthy.
"Susan was such a bubbly person. She was really generous, she was really kind and she was the life of the party - a huge personality. They said she had the biggest laugh in the hospital."
Due to factors such as cost and availability, tirzepatide is only currently prescribed by the NHS for a small number of patients.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA chief safety officer, told the BBC: "Our sincere sympathies are with the family of individual concerned. Patient safety is our top priority and no medicine would be approved unless it met our expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness. We have robust, safety monitoring and surveillance systems in place for all healthcare products.
"On the basis of the current evidence the benefits of GLP-1 RAs outweigh the potential risks when used for the licensed indications."
The MHRA runs the 'yellow card scheme' which allows members of the public or health professionals to submit reports regarding suspected side effects of drugs.
Between January and May 2024 - which is the only public data available on it - there were 208 reports about tirzepatide, including 31 serious reactions and one suspected death of a man in his sixties.
A spokesperson for Eli Lilly told LADbible that 'patient safety is their top priority'.
"We are committed to continually monitoring, evaluating, and reporting safety information for all Lilly medicines," the pharmaceutical company said in a statement.
"Mounjaro (tirzepatide) was approved based on extensive assessment of the benefits and risks of the medicine, and we provide information about the benefits and risks of all our medicines to regulators around the world to ensure the latest information is available for prescribers. If anyone is experiencing side effects when taking any Lilly medicine, they should talk to their doctor or other healthcare professional."
Olivia Burke