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Science / Explained

SERIES: MYTHS READ AGAINST THE SCIENCE

Human data show no clear thyroid-cancer signal, but the boxed warning stays

The labels still carry a boxed warning from rodent C-cell tumor findings. Human studies are broadly reassuring over short-to-moderate follow-up, but the label treats the human relevance as unresolved.

01

The Rat Finding

Semaglutide labels describe thyroid C-cell tumors in rodent studies. Tirzepatide labels describe thyroid C-cell tumors in rats.

Whether that finding translates to humans hasn't been established the same way. The boxed warning still applies to the label.

02

The Contraindication

The approved product labels contraindicate use in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (a specific kind of thyroid cancer), or with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (a genetic condition).

Large human studies are broadly reassuring over short-to-moderate follow-up, but labels still treat the rodent C-cell finding as unresolved in humans.

03

What this means

References

  1. 01Wegovy prescribing information (FDA-approved label), Boxed Warning on Thyroid C-Cell Tumors.Source line — see article body