LONDON – The death of a nurse has been linked to a weight-loss jab due to be assessed by the British government as a way of easing pressure on the overburdened state-run National Health Service (NHS), the BBC reported on Nov 8.

       In the case of Ms Susan McGowan’s death, it is believed to be the first time the drug tirzepatide, known under the brand name Mounjaro, has been officially linked to a British fatality, the broadcaster said.

       The nurse’s death certificate, which the BBC said it had seen, listed multiple organ failure, septic shock and pancreatitis as the immediate cause of death with “the use of prescribed tirzepatide” as a contributing factor.

       Ms McGowan, 58, was prescribed the drug from a registered online pharmacy but after her second injection, she began suffering severe stomach pains and sickness.

       She sought treatment at the hospital where she worked in North Lanarkshire in central Scotland but colleagues were unable to save her, the report added.

       Experts, however, cautioned against directly linking Ms McGowan’s death to the new weight-loss drug, which has undergone extensive testing to secure regulatory approval.

       “Many people stand to benefit from such medicines and as sad as this individual case is, it cannot on its own overturn the vast amount of evidence that already exists,” said Dr Naveed Sattar, professor of cardiometabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow.

       “Continued vigilance is needed of course and the authorities will continue to gather all the evidence possible.”

       The British government in October announced a ￡279 million (S$478 million) investment by American multinational Eli Lilly that will include a five-year trial of its weight-loss jab Mounjaro.

       The trial will involve up to 3,000 patients including those who are obese and unemployed.

       British Health Secretary Wes Streeting said conditions associated with obesity, which affects millions of Britons, was causing people to take an extra four sick days and placing a huge burden on the NHS.

       According to government data, over a quarter, or 26.2 per cent, of British adults suffered from obesity in the year ending in 2023, up from 22.6 per cent between 2015 and 2016.

       A 2022 World Health Organisation report showed that Britain had higher obesity rates than every European Union country except Malta.

       British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said weight-loss drugs could play a key role in getting people back to work.

       The public health advisory body has recommended a phased roll-out of Mounjaro by the NHS, with draft plans for 250,000 people to access it in three years. AFP