Key takeaways:
Pancreatitis is a medical condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed. It causes pain and can lead to serious health issues.
There are reports of people developing pancreatitis while taking Ozempic. But right now there’s no clear research showing that Ozempic increases a person’s chance of getting pancreatitis.
People with certain medical conditions are more likely to develop pancreatitis. Seek medical care right away if you’re at risk for developing pancreatitis and you experience symptoms while taking Ozempic.
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Pancreatitis is a painful medical condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed. People who develop pancreatitis experience severe stomach pain, difficulty eating, and other symptoms that need urgent medical attention. Sometimes, people can develop serious health complications because of pancreatitis.
So, concerns have been raised over cases of people developing pancreatitis while taking Ozempic (semaglutide).
Ozempic is an FDA-approved injectable medication that can be used to treat Type 2 diabetes. It can cause many side effects including nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. But the relationship between Ozempic and pancreatitis isn’t so clear.
Here’s what the science says about the link between Ozempic and pancreatitis.
Does Ozempic cause pancreatitis?
Right now, there’s no evidence that Ozempic increases your pancreatitis risk. There are medications that are known to cause pancreatitis. And Ozempic isn’t included on the list. But keep in mind that Ozempic hasn’t been around as long as other medications that are known to cause pancreatitis. So, while it may not be on the list right now, that could change in the future as more research is done.
In clinical studies, a few people did develop pancreatitis while taking Ozempic. And there have been other published reports of people developing pancreatitis while taking the medication.
But this alone isn’t enough to say that Ozempic causes pancreatitis for two main reasons.
Cases of pancreatitis could be a coincidence
First, it might be a coincidence that people developed pancreatitis while taking Ozempic, since it’s a common condition.
In two separate large studies, people taking Ozempic didn’t develop pancreatitis more often than those taking placebo. These studies weren’t designed to look at the risk of pancreatitis specifically. Researchers went back and looked for reports of pancreatitis afterward. While this data is still valid, it’s not as strong. This is why experts still urge people to remain cautious.
Cases of pancreatitis could be due to something else
Another reason researchers can’t say for sure whether Ozempic causes pancreatitis is that people can develop pancreatitis for many reasons. Cause and effect are often difficult to determine in medical studies. Many people taking Ozempic have other risk factors for developing pancreatitis, including:
Obesity
Type B blood
High triglycerides
Alcohol use
Viruses
Trauma
Surgery
Ozempic can increase a person's risk of developing gallstones. But gallstones and other gallbladder problems are a rare complication of taking Ozempic. And not everyone who develops gallstones will develop pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis is a common — but serious — condition. Learn all about the symptoms, causes and treatments with this guide.
Comparing GLP-1s: Here we explore the differences between Ozempic, Trulicity, and other common GLP-1 medications.
There are some risks with semaglutide that may impact your treatment. Knowing about these side effects can help you manage your medication.
What are the symptoms of pancreatitis?
The pancreas is a small organ in the body that sits behind the stomach. It releases insulin, which regulates blood sugar, and enzymes, which help you digest food. When the pancreas gets inflamed, it can’t function, and this can lead to serious symptoms.
Pancreatitis symptoms include:
Severe pain in your upper abdomen that may extend to your back
Rapid heart rate
Nausea and vomiting
Inability to eat or drink
Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes
Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic:
Acute pancreatitis comes on suddenly and is potentially curable. But it may come back over time (recurrent acute pancreatitis).
Chronic pancreatitis is persistent and can lead to irreversible scarring of the pancreas.
Seek urgent medical care if you think you have pancreatitis symptoms.
What should you do if you’re experiencing symptoms of pancreatitis?
If you can’t get to your primary care provider, go to an urgent care center or emergency room. Most people with pancreatitis are admitted to the hospital for a few days. Others need to stay in the hospital for longer periods of time if they develop complications from pancreatitis.
Treatment for pancreatitis may include:
IV fluids
Pain medications
Antibiotics, if there are any signs of infection
Who is most at risk for drug-induced pancreatitis?
It’s not clear if Ozempic directly causes pancreatitis. But you might want to be more careful if you’re at higher risk for developing pancreatitis to begin with.
Some things that can increase the risk of drug-induced pancreatitis include:
A history of gallstones, biliary colic, or other gallbladder problems
Having relatives who had pancreatitis
Medications linked to causing pancreatitis, such as azathioprine, thiazides, furosemide, estrogens, and certain antibiotics
High triglyceride levels
Injury to the pancreas or other medical conditions that affect the pancreas
Obesity and overweight
If you’re at higher risk for developing pancreatitis, you can still take Ozempic. But you should talk with a healthcare professional about the risks and benefits. And if you develop any symptoms of pancreatitis, you should seek medical care right away.
Should you take Ozempic if you’ve had pancreatitis?
No. People who had pancreatitis in the past weren’t included in Ozempic clinical trials. So right now there’s no evidence that people with a history of pancreatitis can safely take Ozempic. The prescribing information for Ozempic says that it shouldn’t be given to people with a history of pancreatitis.
If you develop pancreatitis while taking Ozempic, you’ll need to stop taking the medication. Ozempic prescribing information also states that people can’t restart Ozempic if they develop pancreatitis — even if something else triggered the episode.
Frequently asked questions
As discussed, there’s no clear link between Ozempic and similar drugs and pancreatitis. Other diabetes medications that aren’t linked to pancreatitis include:
Thiazolidinediones
Metformin
Insulin (which reduces the risk of pancreatitis)
There’s no guaranteed way to avoid pancreatitis while taking Ozempic. There are some ways you may lower your risk overall, like:
Keeping your triglycerides and cholesterol in a normal range
Eating a nutritious diet
Avoiding other known causes of pancreatitis
Limiting alcohol use
Quitting smoking
Pancreatitis usually clears up in a few days, but most cases of pancreatitis require being treated in the hospital. You may need IV fluids and antibiotics. If tests show severe inflammation of the pancreas, you may need to have an extended stay.
As discussed, there’s no clear link between Ozempic and similar drugs and pancreatitis. Other diabetes medications that aren’t linked to pancreatitis include:
Thiazolidinediones
Metformin
Insulin (which reduces the risk of pancreatitis)
There’s no guaranteed way to avoid pancreatitis while taking Ozempic. There are some ways you may lower your risk overall, like:
Keeping your triglycerides and cholesterol in a normal range
Eating a nutritious diet
Avoiding other known causes of pancreatitis
Limiting alcohol use
Quitting smoking
Pancreatitis usually clears up in a few days, but most cases of pancreatitis require being treated in the hospital. You may need IV fluids and antibiotics. If tests show severe inflammation of the pancreas, you may need to have an extended stay.
The bottom line
Pancreatitis is a serious health condition that causes inflammation of the pancreas. There have been reports of people developing pancreatitis while taking Ozempic. There are certain medications known to cause pancreatitis. But there’s no clear evidence that Ozempic is one of them. This may change as more information becomes available.
If you have a history of pancreatitis, you shouldn’t take Ozempic. You won’t be able to continue taking Ozempic if you develop pancreatitis. If you develop symptoms of pancreatitis while taking Ozempic, seek medical care right away.
Why trust our experts?
References
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Cao, C., et al. (2020). GLP-1 receptor agonists and pancreatic safety concerns in type 2 diabetic patients: Data from cardiovascular outcome trials. Endocrine.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Department of Surgery. (n.d.). Pancreatitis treatments.
Gonzalez-Perez, A., et al. (2010). Acute Pancreatitis in Association With Type 2 Diabetes and Antidiabetic Drugs. Diabetes Care.
National Health Service. (2025). Prevention.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017). Pancreatitis. National Institutes of Health.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017). Treatment for pancreatitis. National Institutes of Health.
Novo Nordisk. (2017). Ozempic (semaglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use [package insert].
Simons-Linares, C. R., et al. (2019). Drug-induced acute pancreatitis in adults: An update. Pancreas.
Smits, M. M., et al. (2021). Safety of semaglutide. Frontiers in Endocrinology.
Weiss, F. U., et al. (2019). Etiology and risk factors of acute and chronic pancreatitis. Visceral Medicine.
Yadav, D., et al. (2014). The epidemiology of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Gastroenterology.
