People are taking an unapproved weight-loss drug. AI found something surprising
Researchers used AI to analyze Reddit discussions regarding the use of unapproved weight-loss drug retatrutide. The study found that users frequently reported increased appetite, which contradicts the drug's intended purpose and findings from clinical trials.
Why it matters
This highlights the risks of using unapproved medications and demonstrates how AI can be used to monitor public health trends and potential side effects outside of traditional clinical settings.
An experimental weight-loss drug that has not yet received regulatory approval is already attracting users willing to obtain unapproved versions online. Now, scientists are using artificial intelligence to investigate their experiences, uncovering unexpected symptom reports that differ from those documented in clinical trials.
The drug, retatrutide, belongs to a new generation of GLP-1 medications designed to help regulate appetite and body weight. Although it remains under investigation and is not approved for use, people are purchasing unapproved formulations that are not intended for human consumption and discussing their experiences on internet forums.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania analyzed nearly 150,000 Reddit posts and comments from approximately 40,000 users to investigate these accounts. Their study, published in JAMA Network Open , provides the first systematic examination of potential side effects reported by people claiming to use unapproved retatrutide.
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