The death of a nurse from North Lanarkshire has been linked to the use of a weight-loss drug recently approved for use on the NHS. Susan McGowan, 58, took two low-dose injections of tirzepatide, known under the brand name Mounjaro, over the course of about two weeks before her death on 4 September. Her death certificate, seen by the BBC, lists multiple organ failure, septic shock and pancreatitis as the immediate cause of death – but "the use of prescribed tirzepatide" is also recorded as a contributing factor.
It is thought to be the first death officially linked to the drug in the UK Ms McGowan worked as a nurse at University Hospital Monklands in Airdrie for more than 30 years. The popular bed manager had often discussed her weight loss attempts with close friends, but the emergence of new weight-loss jabs seemed to her to offer better chances of success. After researching Mounjaro and seeking medical advice, she purchased a prescription via a registered online pharmacy.
The drug typically costs between £150 and £200 for a four-week supply and can be purchased from any registered pharmacy in the UK. Days after her second injection she began experiencing severe stomach pains and sickness, so she went to A&E at Monklands - where her colleagues battled to save her life. Jade Campbell, Ms McGowan's niece, was with her when she died.
She said: “Susan had always carried a wee bit of extra weight but there were never any health concerns. She wasn't on any other medication. .