Calls to regulate weight-loss injections after death of NHS nurse
58-year-old Susan McGowan's death has been linked to the use of a recently approved weight-loss drug
Last updated 8th Nov 2024
There are urgent calls for health bosses to take action against the unregulated use of weight loss injections - after it was listed as a contributing factor to the death of North Lanarkshire nurse.
58-year-old Susan McGowan worked at University Hospital Monklands in Airdrie and bought tirzepatide - brand name Monjauro - from an online pharmacy.
It is reported she used injected the drug twice over the course of two weeks before falling unwell.
On September 4th, she was rushed to A&E where she later died after suffering from multiple organ failure, septic shock and pancreatitis.
It is reported her death certificate records "the use of prescribed tirzepatide" as a contributing factor.
It is thought to be the first death officially linked to the drug in the UK.
'Very concerning'
Doctor Cormac Convery specialises in aesthetics medicine after working as a GP for almost 20 years.
As an advocate for patient safety in the aesthetics industry - he believes this is concerning news.
"I think it's very concerning because at the end of the day we are talking about a drug.
"Weight loss is not about medication, it's about a bigger picture approach where medication can be a factor, but lifestyle and wider factors must also be considered.
"We need to make sure people aren't ultimately ending up worse-off because of the use of this medication.
"Primary care and GPs need to be an accessible point of care for the safe assessments of suitability for these medications.
"It's not to say that other places, like online pharmacies and internet sources, aren't going to be suitable, but we need to look at how suitable they really are and if they meet the standard requirements for prescribing.
"I think the powers that be need to look at this, and I think they need to have a real think about their priorities.
"They need to step up and make sure that the public is kept safe."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our deepest sympathy goes to anyone affected by a loss in the circumstances described.
“The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the UK-wide regulator which has overarching responsibility for the safety of medicines.
“The Scottish Government cannot comment on individual prescribing cases as Health Boards and healthcare professionals locally have responsibility for service delivery and patient treatment.
"The decision about which medicine to prescribe is a clinical one made by the prescriber, having considered an individual‘s condition and medical history.”