Adverse Reactions to Obesity Injections Surge 19-Fold in South Korea, Abdominal Pain Most Common Complaint

South Korea has seen a dramatic increase in reported adverse reactions to injectable drugs, with cases linked to obesity treatments surging nearly 19-fold in just one year. According to the Korea Consumer Agency, the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS) received 1,147 reports related to injections between January 2023 and April 2024. This marks a significant jump from 462 cases in the previous year and 238 in the year before that.

While preventative vaccines for illnesses like the flu accounted for the largest portion of overall reports (27.3%), the category for obesity treatments saw an alarming rise, with 210 cases reported, an increase of approximately 19 times from 2023 to 2024. This surge is attributed to the growing popularity of drugs like Wegovy and the increasing trend of self-administration at home.

Abdominal pain was the most common symptom reported by users of weight-loss injections, accounting for 16.7% of cases. Other frequent complaints included chills and fever (13.0%) and vomiting (8.1%). While fever and chills were common after vaccinations, digestive issues like abdominal pain were more prevalent with obesity medications.

Demographic data revealed distinct patterns. Infants and young children (0-7 years) predominantly experienced adverse events related to vaccinations (81.6%). In contrast, younger adults (19-34) and middle-aged adults (35-49) were most affected by issues related to obesity treatments, with 43.1% and 32.3% of cases respectively in these age groups.

The location of adverse events also varied. While most injection-related incidents occurred in healthcare facilities (69.5%), a significant portion of obesity drug reactions (74.3%) happened at home. The Consumer Agency emphasized the importance of adhering to proper storage, dosage, and administration guidelines, especially for self-administered treatments like obesity injections.