Metabolic HealthSemaglutide Panic Reports Rose After Publicity, but Studies Show No Consistent Link
Reports of panic attacks with semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) looked alarming at first. Researchers examined 33,267 semaglutide reports in the FDA's adverse event database and compared them with two other diabetes drugs. Panic attacks were reported in 0.26% of semaglutide reports versus 0.05% for each comparator. After adjusting for age, sex and reason for taking the drug, the gap shrank. Before July 2023, when European regulators began a safety review, the adjusted difference was no longer statistically significant. Reports then rose about sixfold, which fits a pattern where publicity prompts more reporting. A review of 12 studies, including randomized trials, found no consistent rise in panic or anxiety. These databases cannot prove or rule out harm, but the evidence does not support a clear link.
