Diabetes and Weight-Loss Drug Semaglutide Linked to Rare Eye Condition: European Medical Agency

The European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) has concluded its review of semaglutide-containing medicines, confirming a potential link between the drug and a rare eye condition known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). The findings, published by the EMA, indicate that NAION should now be listed as a “very rare” side effect in the product information for semaglutide-based treatments such as Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy.

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes and obesity. It mimics the action of a natural hormone to stimulate insulin production, regulate blood sugar, and reduce appetite. However, concerns about vision loss led the EMA to investigate the drug’s safety profile more closely.

The PRAC conducted a thorough evaluation of all available data, including non-clinical studies, clinical trials, post-marketing surveillance, and findings from published medical literature. According to the committee, “NAION is a very rare side effect of semaglutide (meaning it may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people taking semaglutide).”