Semaglutide, the GLP-1 receptor agonist used to treat type 2 diabetes and marketed for weight loss as Wegovy and Ozempic, was associated with a nearly 40% reduction in asthma attacks and a 20% reduction in COPD flare-ups compared with an older diabetes drug class, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Barcelona on 7 September 2026. The findings come from four parallel studies using UK electronic medical records, each following 20,000 to 22,000 people who started either a GLP-1 receptor agonist or a sulfonylurea. The work was led by Professor Chloe Bloom of Imperial College London's National Heart and Lung Institute and presented by Dr Bohee Lee. The studies were observational, comparing outcomes between people already prescribed one drug class or the other, rather than a randomised trial.
Researchers urge caution on the findings
Professor Bloom said the results were encouraging but stressed they should not change treatment decisions on their own, and that people with asthma or COPD should not start a GLP-1 drug specifically for their lung condition outside current prescribing guidance, according to Medical Xpress. Dr Alexander Mathioudakis of the University of Manchester, commenting independently, said clinical trials that measure respiratory outcomes directly are needed before metabolic treatments could be considered part of asthma or COPD care.
What this means for you
This is conference-presented, observational research, not yet a peer-reviewed randomised trial, and it concerns a prescription medicine rather than an over-the-counter product. It does not change NHS or MHRA prescribing guidance for asthma or COPD, and it is not a reason to ask a GP for semaglutide outside its licensed uses. For UK households already managing the wider cost of prescriptions and health spending, keeping day-to-day supplement costs down through Perqen membership pricing is a separate matter from prescription medicine decisions, which should stay with a GP.
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Perqen members pay £4.99 a month or £29.99 a year for discounted pricing across the full 1,393-product catalogue, alongside standard pricing for non-members.
This article reports published news and research and is for information only. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or medical care, and no product mentioned is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescribed medicines.