Dysaesthesia has been included on the list of possible adverse reactions to semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, when used in the treatment of diabetes.<\/p>\n
A summary of products characteristics for Rybelsus (semaglutide<\/a>; Novo Nordisk) tablets<\/a>, updated on 7 April 2026, lists dysaesthesia \u2014 abnormal and unpleasant touch-based sensations \u2014 as a \u201ccommon\u201d adverse reaction.<\/p>\n For Ozempic <\/a>(semaglutide<\/a>; Novo Nordisk)<\/a> in pre-filled pens, an update on 7 April 2026 listed dysaesthesia as an adverse reaction<\/a>, of which the frequency is not yet known. <\/p>\n Dysaesthesia has been reported in some clinical trials of semaglutide, including the \u2018STEP UP T2D\u2019 trial<\/a> of subcutaneous semaglutide, results of which showed that the adverse effect was more common with 7.2 mg doses (n=58 [18.9%] of 307) compared with 2.4 mg doses (n=five [4.9%] of 103).<\/p>\n In March 2024, a scoping review of 15 clinical trials, six case reports and one retrospective cohort study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology<\/a> reported that dysaesthesia occurred in 6 of 334 participants (1.8%) taking semaglutide and not in any patients taking placebo.<\/p>\n The authors wrote that higher rates of dysaesthesia were seen in people taking oral semaglutide. \u201cVariations in dosage and administration routes could influence the types and severity of skin findings, underscoring the need for additional research,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n