News Health & Medicine Semaglutide may reduce opioid overdoses, a new study suggests The key ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy is now showing growing promise against addiction In 2023, more than 80,000 people in the United States died after overdosing on opioids such as fentanyl and oxycodone (shown). A study of 33,000 people with opioid use disorder and type 2 diabetes suggests that GLP-1 medications might help prevent some of those overdoses. BackyardProduction/iStock/Getty Images Plus Share this:EmailFacebookTwitterPinterestPocketRedditPrint By Meghan Rosen September 25, 2024 at 11:00 am A wildly popular diabetes and weight-loss drug may also protect people from overdosing on opioids.