11Alive News Investigates found a surprising number of people are getting their GLP-1 doses wrong, leading to an increase in calls to the Georgia Poison Center.
ATLANTA — Initially marketed as diabetes treatments, GLP-1 drugs are now surging in popularity as weight loss solutions. With more people turning to the medications, Georgia’s Poison Center is seeing a subsequent rise in related emergency calls.
“It’s caused our call volume to skyrocket,” said Gaylord Lopez, executive director of the Georgia Poison Center.
GLP-1 drugs, or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, help regulate blood sugar and appetite. Synthetic versions are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for diabetes treatment, and some are authorized for weight loss.
As access has expanded, reports of overdoses are also growing. The Georgia Poison Center received 129 calls tied to GLP-1 drugs in 2023. That number nearly doubled last year to 246 and has already reached 254 so far in 2025, according to the center’s data.
Trouble often starts at the first dose, Lopez added.
“When you look at the data, nearly 75% of these calls that involve dosing errors; involve people who are doing it on the first dose,” Lopez said. “So these are people who maybe didn’t get the proper education, who didn’t get the right information from the internet health provider, or they were just confused at how to deliver and how to administer these drugs.”
The issue isn’t confined to Georgia. Data from the National Poison Data System, America’s Poison Centers, show nearly 12,000 calls nationwide were linked to GLP-1 drugs between Sept. 1, 2024, and Aug. 31, 2025.
Experts say errors include taking doses too close together or injecting more than prescribed. Past shortages have also led some patients to buy medications online or through compounding pharmacies. Unlike brand-name pre-filled pens, Lopez said some alternatives come in vials and syringes, increasing the risk of mistakes.
“We have had patients inject the entire contents of a vial,” Lopez said.
Side effects can range from nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain to changes in heart rate or blood sugar. More than 40% of calls to the Georgia Poison Center end with patients being referred to the emergency room.
“The unfortunate thing is we’re going to likely see more of these cases,” Lopez said, pointing to GLP-1’s popularity. “I think it’s only going to get worse before it gets better.”
GLP-1 safety tips for patients:
- Double-check your prescription and dosage before leaving the pharmacy and again before injecting.
- Use reminders to avoid taking multiple doses too close together.
- Only get GLP-1 drugs from licensed pharmacies, never unregulated online sellers.
Anyone who may have taken too much or have questions about dosing can call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 to be connected with their local poison center. To save the number in your mobile phone, text POISON to 301-597-7137.
11Alive is continuing to track consumer experience related to GLP-1s as part of ongoing coverage (see the form below):
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