A weight-loss drug recently authorised for NHS use, tirzepatide, has been linked to the death of Susan McGowan, a 58-year-old nurse from North Lanarkshire, according to BBC reports.
McGowan, who administered two low-dose injections of tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro, over two weeks, died on 4 September.
Her death certificate reportedly cites multiple organ failure, septic shock, and pancreatitis as primary causes, with the use of tirzepatide noted as a contributing factor.
McGowan had been a nurse at University Hospital Monklands in Airdrie for over three decades.
According to the BBC, McGowan obtained the Mounjaro prescription via an online pharmacy after conducting her own research and consulting medical professionals.
However, following her second injection, she began experiencing severe stomach pain and nausea, ultimately seeking emergency care at Monklands, where her colleagues made efforts to save her.
Pharmaceutical company Lilly, the manufacturer of Mounjaro, stated that patient safety is its priority and confirmed that it continuously monitors the safety data for all its medications.
“Mounjaro’s approval followed rigorous assessment of its benefits and risks, and we provide updated safety information to global regulators to support prescriber decisions,” a Lilly spokesperson said.
Approved in 2023 as a weight-loss aid by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), tirzepatide belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists.
MHRA’s chief safety officer, Dr Alison Cave, extended sympathies to McGowan’s family and reiterated that patient safety is paramount. “Our safety monitoring systems are robust, and current evidence indicates that GLP-1 receptor agonists offer more benefits than risks when used as prescribed,” she told the BBC.
The UK government has recently announced a five-year trial to evaluate tirzepatide’s impact on unemployed individuals in Greater Manchester, aiming to support 3,000 recipients in returning to work.
McGowan’s niece, Jade Campbell, who was with her aunt during her final moments, expressed concerns over the timing of the trial, urging the government to reconsider its decision.
