Ozempic Lawsuit

Ozempic is a popular drug for type-2 diabetes management and it is also popular for use as a weight loss drug. New evidence from the FDA has recently shown that taking Ozempic can significantly increase the risk of gastroparesis, a very serious gastrointestinal condition.

The manufacturer of Ozempic did not adequately warn patients and doctors about the risk of gallbladder disease. Individuals who used Ozempic and subsequently developed a serious gastrointestinal health condition may be able to file a product liability lawsuit and get financial compensation.

This page will provide the latest news and updates on the Ozempic litigation, as well as our predictions about the potential settlement value of these cases.

Ozempic lawsuits are being filed around the country.  If you have an Ozempic lawsuit, call us today at 800-553-8082 or reach out to us online.

Ozempic Lawsuit Updates

Our law firm seeks to provide victims with the best and most recent Ozempic lawsuit updates.  We update this page frequently to bring you the latest news and information impacting your claim.

December 2, 2024 – MDL Growth Continues

The Ozempic MDL added 79 cases in November, continuing a surge that has seen over 200 new cases in the last 60 days. The pending case count has reached 1,300.

November 1, 2024 – MDL Adds 131 Cases

The MDL has been growing very rapidly over the past few months although last month showed what is likely a slowdown in the number of claims.  Another 131 new cases were added to the MDL over the last 30 days. The total number of pending lawsuits in the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists MDL is now 1,221.

October 10, 2024 – 100 More Cases Added to MDL

During the month of September, 101 new cases were added into the Ozempic class action MDL. 300 new cases were added in August, which means that this MDL has doubled in size over the last 60 days. There are now 1,090 total cases pending in the MDL.

September 25, 2024 – Discovery and Motions Hearings Set

The court has scheduled early discovery and motion practice on the issues of preemption and the adequacy of warning labels. However, marketing discovery was not fully addressed, and the plaintiffs are now seeking permission through a new motion to include it at this early stage.

The plaintiffs argue that marketing discovery is essential to the case, as pharmaceutical companies often downplay or obscure risks in their marketing, potentially undermining the warnings provided on labels. This concern is particularly relevant given the financial stakes involved in this case. There is significant precedent supporting the idea that marketing practices are relevant to evaluating the adequacy of warnings and preemption defenses.

September 16, 2024 – New Georgia Ozempic Lawsuit

A Georgia woman has filed a new lawsuit against Novo Nordisk alleging that their diabetes medication, Ozempic, caused severe and permanent injuries, including gastroparesis.

The plaintiff, who resides in Dallas, Georgia, used Ozempic from January to June 2022, prescribed by her physician to control blood sugar levels as part of her treatment for Type 2 diabetes. The complaint asserts that Novo Nordisk failed to adequately warn of the risk of gastroparesis—a condition in which the stomach’s motility is severely impaired—despite being aware of this potential side effect.

According to the filing, the plaintiff developed gastroparesis, experiencing severe symptoms such as abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting, which have led to ongoing physical and emotional distress. She argues that Novo Nordisk was aware of the risks of gastrointestinal issues, including gastroparesis, based on clinical studies and medical literature, but did not provide sufficient warnings to consumers and prescribing physicians. The lawsuit claims that the pharmaceutical company marketed Ozempic as a safe and effective treatment for diabetes without adequately disclosing these significant side effects, misleading the medical community and the public.

Our Ozempic lawyers are accepting new lawsuits just like this one. These cases may have strong settlement values.  Still, our attorneys believe that, generally, settlement amounts for Ozempic in weight loss cases may be higher than those for diabetes claims.

While this outlook may prove incorrect, we aim to provide readers with informed perspectives on how this litigation might progress. But we do want to provide readers with our views on the nuances of how we think this litigation will unfold.

September 3, 2024 – MDL Continues to Grow

The Ozempic MDL now has 869 lawsuits, a significant increase from the 346 cases recorded on at the beginning of last month. This surge highlights the rapid pace at which new lawsuits are being filed in the MDL.

September 2, 2024 – Another Trulicity Lawsuit

We are seeing more lawsuits involving Trulicity.  A Florida resident has filed a new lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida against Eli Lilly and Company, the manufacturer of Trulicity, an injectable medication used to control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. The plaintiff, a 73-year-old woman from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, alleges that her use of Trulicity from May 2022 to January 2023 caused her to develop gastroparesis, a severe gastrointestinal condition that paralyzes the stomach, leading to significant personal injury, pain, and suffering.

September 1, 2024: New Study Suggesting Ozempic Suicide Risk

August 22, 2024 – New Trulicity Lawsuit

A Tennessee plaintiff has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of Trulicity, alleging that the drug caused severe health complications, including gastroparesis, ileus, and intestinal obstruction.  Trulicity is in the same class of drugs as Ozempic.

The plaintiff claims that the Eli Lilly knowingly misrepresented the safety of Trulicity, failing to disclose these serious risks. As a result, the plaintiff suffered from these conditions, which now require ongoing medical treatment, monitoring, and possibly lifelong care. The lawsuit asserts that the plaintiff’s prescribing physician was misled by the manufacturer’s false information and would not have prescribed Trulicity had the true risks been known.

August 15, 2024 – MDL Common Benefit Fund

Last week, the MDL judge put out Case Management Order No. 17,  detailing the MDL fees for the Ozempic litigation.

Of any gross monetary recovery—be it from settlements, judgments, or other monetary awards—9% goes to the GLP-1 Fee Fund. This allocation is intended to compensate Ozempic’s legal team for their services that benefit all MDL participants.

Additionally, 2% of the gross recovery is designated for the GLP-1 Expense Fund, which covers collective litigation expenses. These expenses include costs for discovery processes, expert consultations, and other necessary legal activities.

How does this affect you and the fees you owe? Within an MDL, a common benefit fee ensures equitable sharing of litigation expenses across all benefiting plaintiffs, managed by the attorneys leading the charge. This leadership group handles essential tasks like discovery and trial preparation, which are critical to the group’s success.

Typically, you are expected to cover the 2% expense fee. However, the 9% allocated for leadership attorneys’ fees generally comes from your attorney’s share. So, if your agreement includes a 40% contingency fee, your attorney effectively receives 31%, with the remaining 9% allocated to the MDL leadership.  There are exception to this rule and there are class action settlements where this fee has been passed along to the clients.  But that is not typically how it is done.

August 12, 2024 – New Lawsuit Filed in MDL

A Louisiana resident filed a lawsuit last week in the MDL in Pennsylvania, claiming severe injuries due to the use of Ozempic.

The plaintiff, who began using Ozempic in September 2022, alleges that the drug caused gastroparesis, ileus, and intestinal obstruction, leading to significant pain, suffering, and permanent injuries. The lawsuit asserts that Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer, failed to properly warn him and his doctors about the severe gastrointestinal risks associated with the drug.

August 1, 2024 – MDL Grows by 200%

During the month of July, the Ozempic class action MDL added 235 new cases. That brings the total number of pending cases in the MDL up to 346. The Ozempic MDL has increase in size by 200% over the last 30 days.

July 11, 2024 – Competitor to Ozempic 

Pfizer is advancing a once-daily version of its weight loss pill, danuglipron, after promising early-stage study data. This development presents new competition for Ozempic, an injectable GLP-1 agonist. Users might prefer danuglipron to Ozempic due to the convenience of a once-daily oral formulation, eliminating the need for injections.

Pfizer’s study highlighted that the drug does not have liver safety issues, which plagued some of their earlier formulations, making it a potentially safer alternative. With the weight loss and diabetes drug market expected to be worth around $100 billion by the decade’s end, Pfizer’s move could provide a more accessible and user-friendly option in this growing field.

July 9, 2024 – Harvard Study Finds Association Between Ozempic and Vision Loss

A new study by Harvard Medical School has identified a potential link between the Ozempic and Wegovy and an increased risk of a rare form of sudden vision loss.

This condition, known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), is akin to a stroke affecting the eye. This connection is reported for the first time in medical literature.

The study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, is preliminary and involves a small sample size. So, absolutely, there needs to be follow-up studies.

But here is the thing:  NAION has an estimated annual incidence of 2-10 cases per 100,000 people in the United States. That’s rare.  The numbers is the study were really strong.

So our Ozempic lawyers are absolutely including NAION on the list of lawsuits we are taking:

July 8, 2024 – Mounjaro Patients Lost More Weight than Ozempic Patients, New Study Finds

A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine compared the weight loss effects of Eli Lilly’s diabetes drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic (semaglutide). The study analyzed data from over 18,000 patients who began taking either medication

Key findings from the study indicate that patients on Mounjaro lost significantly more weight than those on Ozempic. Specifically, people taking Mounjaro were almost twice as likely to lose 5% of their body weight, 2.5 times as likely to lose 10%, and over three times as likely to lose 15% of their body weight compared to those taking Ozempic.

After three months, Mounjaro users had lost an average of 6% of their body weight, compared to just under 4% for Ozempic users. At six months, the weight loss was 10% for Mounjaro users versus 6% for Ozempic users, and at one year, the figures were 15% and 8%.

Despite these results, the study noted a similar dropout rate for both drugs, with over half of the participants discontinuing use by November of the previous year, primarily due to side effects such as gastrointestinal issues like nausea and vomiting.

July 1, 2024 – Four Cases Added to MDL in June

Four cases were added to the MDL last month.

June 26, 2024 – Study Finds that Ozempic Weakens Bones

A new study found that GLP-1 RA drugs like Ozempic led to loss in bone strength at important places like the hip and spine.

These risks were less of an issue in patients who exercised. This shows that if you’re trying to lose weight, adding exercise to your routine might protect your bones better than just using the drug alone.

The concern of what we do not know about these drugs is stronger than ever.

June 24, 2024 – Novo Nordisk Invests $1.4 Billion to Increase Wegovy and Ozempic Production

Novo Nordisk announced plans to invest $4.1 billion to increase the production of its highly successful weight loss medication, Wegovy, as well as its diabetes treatment, Ozempic, and other injectable therapies.

This give you some idea of how much money is available to pay settlements and verdicts in this litigation. It also underscores how awful how bad the publicity and lost sales Novo Nordisk could see from a large adverse verdict in these lawsuits.

June 13, 2024 – Judge Marston Holds Hearing on Ozempic MDL

Judge Marston had a hearing this week and signaled to Ozempic attorneys that she wants to keep this litigation on track.

The hearing was uneventful but there was a telling moment.  Judge Pratter had recently schedule a “Science Day” for this week.  Judge Marston was talking about rescheduling and one of the attorneys suggested mid-September. The judge shot that down and said she wanted something in July.

So this is good news if you want the cases to get to the settlement stage sooner rather than later.  Of course, “sooner” is all relative.

The earliest we will see trials in this litigation will be late 2025.

June 10, 2024 – Judge Marston Takes Over Ozempic MDL

 Judge Karen Spencer Marston,  a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, has been assigned to take over the Ozempic MDL following the unfortunate passing of Judge Pratter.

Judge Marston was nominated to the federal bench by Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate in 2019.

Prior to her appointment, Marston had a distinguished career in both the public and private sectors, with extensive experience in criminal law and litigation.

Marston earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Davidson College and her Juris Doctor degree from Wake Forest University School of Law. Following her graduation, she served as a law clerk for a federal judge in North Carolina.

Her career includes significant tenure as a federal prosecutor. Marston worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where she handled a wide array of cases, including violent crime, drug trafficking, and white-collar crime. She also served as the chief of the office’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Section, demonstrating her leadership and expertise in handling complex criminal matters.

June 3, 2024 – A Dozen New Cases Added to Ozempic MDL

In May, a dozen new cases were added to the Ozempic class action MDL, matching the volume of new cases from April.

This brings the total number of pending cases to 101, indicating a slower start than anticipated.

May 21, 2024 – Ozempic Plaintiffs Submit Status Report to MDL Judge

The Ozempic plaintiffs’ committee has submitted a status report to the MDL Judge, detailing their progress on various action items.

According to the report, both parties in the litigation met last month in Rhode Island and are nearing agreement on a 13-page Plaintiff Fact Sheet (PFS) and authorization form, which will be mandatory for all plaintiffs going forward.

Additionally, they have agreed to employ Rubris, a third-party vendor, to manage the electronic submission of the PFS and authorization forms.

May 1, 2024 – Fourteen New Ozempic Cases Added to MDL

Over the last month, 14 new Ozempic cases were added to the newly formed class action MDL. That pushes the number of pending cases in the MDL up to 87. We could end up seeing several thousand cases in this MDL before its over.

April 15, 2024 – New Ozempic Lawsuit Alleges It Contributed to Woman’s Cholecystectomy

A new Ozempic lawsuit was filed on Friday.  The plaintiff, who began taking Ozempic in 2021 for weight loss, experienced a series of severe health issues attributed to the drug.

In April 2022, she was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) of unknown origin. By July 2023, she was suffering from epigastric pain, and in August 2023, she was diagnosed with recurrent biliary colic.

Subsequently, she underwent a recommended laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) in October 2023.

The core of this lawsuit is that health complications that come with Ozempic were not adequately disclosed as potential risks in the drug’s marketing and labeling.  The plaintiff claims that these drugs can cause severe gastrointestinal issues, including gastroparesis (stomach paralysis), gastroenteritis, and intestinal blockage, among other serious conditions.

The lawsuit criticizes the company for misleading marketing practices, asserting that Novo Nordisk downplayed these risks in their promotional materials – it is hard to argue it didn’t – and did not adequately inform patients and healthcare providers of all the severe side effects.

The lawsuit outlines multiple causes of action, including negligence, design defect, negligent misrepresentation, and violations of consumer protection laws, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for the alleged harm caused by these medications.

More globally, the complaint accuses Novo Nordisk of shifting the medical consensus on obesity treatment from lifestyle-based approaches to medication-dependent strategies.

The plaintiff argues that Novo Nordisk’s actions were not only misleading but also directly harmed users by failing to disclose critical safety information, thereby prioritizing profits over patient safety.

April 11, 2024 – Iowa Woman Files Lawsuit Alleging Trulicity Caused Gastroparesis

Trulicity is a similar drug to Ozempic that we have not talked much about, but it is one of the drugs in this litigation.

Trulicity is a prescription medication used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, administered through injection to help control blood sugar levels.

There have been lawsuits filed against the manufacturers of Trulicity, alleging that the drug caused severe side effects, including but not limited to, the development of gastroparesis, as in the case described, which has led to claims of suffering, permanent injury, and incurred medical expenses by the plaintiffs.

In a new lawsuit filed this week, the plaintiff, a 35-year-old U.S. citizen residing in Iowa, used Trulicity from May 2021 to January 2022 under a prescription from their physician.

She alleges that the use of Trulicity caused them to develop gastroparesis and its related complications, leading to severe and permanent injuries, pain, suffering, emotional distress, and medical expenses. The condition also resulted in persistent vomiting, diarrhea, and extreme abdominal pain, necessitating further medication and multiple emergency room visits.

April 5, 2024 – Idaho Woman Alleges Mounjaro and Ozempic Led to Gastrectomy

In a new Ozempic lawsuit, Burch v. Novo Nordisk, a young woman in Idaho who used Mounjaro in 2022 and Ozempic in 2023 experienced severe gastrointestinal issues.

Her condition necessitated multiple hospital visits, including emergency room visits and a sleeve gastrectomy, where approximately 80% of her stomach was removed. She also had to be prescribed medications for stomach, heartburn, and nausea management.

April 2, 2024 – 20 New Cases Added to Ozempic MDL

The Ozempic class action MDL has already grown by 20 new cases since it was created in February. There are now 74 pending cases in the MDL.

Ozempic has become extremely popular recently as a weight loss drug, to the point where getting the drug has become difficult and expensive.

With this many people using a drug so aggressively, we think this MDL could become very big eventually.

March 29, 2024 – The Three Main Categories of Ozempic Lawsuits

What kind of Ozempic lawsuits are our lawyer seeing?  There are three main categories of lawsuits we are seeing. The common thread of all of this is they affects the digestive tract’s ability to move and process food and waste:

Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is the signature injury of the Ozempic litigation.  It affects the normal spontaneous movement of the muscles (motility) in your stomach.

In gastroparesis, your stomach’s motility is slowed down or does not work at all, preventing your stomach from emptying properly.

Severe gastroparesis is brutal. It can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, feeling full after eating only a small amount, weight loss, abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain.

Ileus

Ileus is a temporary and often reversible cessation of bowel motility. This condition causes a buildup of digestive materials and gases that cannot pass through the intestines normally, leading to symptoms such as abdominal bloating, pain, nausea, vomiting, and absence of bowel movements or flatulence.

Ileus can occur after abdominal surgery, an infection, certain medications, or other medical conditions.

Treatment typically focuses on addressing the underlying cause, resting the bowel (for example, by not eating or drinking for a period), and, in some cases, using medications to stimulate bowel movement.

Intestinal Blockage (Bowel Obstruction)

Intestinal blockage, or bowel obstruction, is a condition where part of the intestine is blocked, either partially or completely.

This blockage can prevent food, fluids, and gas from moving through the intestines normally.

A bowel obstruction is a serious thing that is oftena medical emergency necessitating prompt treatment to avoid severe complications.

Treatment may involve intravenous fluids, bowel rest, and, in many cases, surgery to remove the blockage.

March 18, 2024 – Inaugural Status Conference for Ozempic MDL Held Last Week

The inaugural status conference for the Ozempic multidistrict litigation took place last week, bringing together lawyers from Novo Nordisk and plaintiffs who either have filed cases or are looking for a place in the plaintiffs’ attorney leadership group in the MDL.

This initial case management meeting was held in a federal court in Pennsylvania.

Under the supervision of Judge Gene E.K. Pratter in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 18 lawsuits have been merged, with another 37 awaiting similar consolidation.

The bulk of these cases allege inadequate warnings about the risk of gastroparesis—a digestive disorder characterized by slowed or halted stomach contractions, causing symptoms like nausea and dehydration—associated with Ozempic and other glucagon-like peptide 1-receptor agonists, including Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Trulicity.

To date, no case management order has been issued, though several court orders have allowed out-of-state attorneys involved in the Ozempic lawsuits to participate in the proceedings.

March 15, 2024 – South Dakota Resident Alleges Ozempic Caused Gastroparesis

A new Ozempic lawsuit was added to the MDL today.  The 50-year-old South Dakota plaintiff used Ozempic in 2020.

As a result, the plaintiff was caused to suffer gastroparesis and its consequence.

February 2, 2024 – Judge Pratter Takes Charge of New Ozempic MDL

Judge Gene E.K. Pratter in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania takes charge of a new Ozempic multidistrict litigation (MDL) that combined 18 lawsuits, with an additional 37 lawsuits awaiting potential consolidation.

The Ozempic MDL is not exactly a class action lawsuit, yet it shares characteristics of one by consolidating multiple lawsuits into a single proceeding for efficiency and consistency in handling.

This approach allows for individual claims to be processed collectively, streamlining pretrial procedures while maintaining the distinct nature of each lawsuit.

January 21, 2024 – Louisiana Woman Alleges Ozempic Caused Multiple Injuries

A resident of Louisiana has filed a lawsuit against Danish companies Novo Nordisk AS and Novo Nordisk North America Operations AS, related to injuries she claims to have sustained from using  Ozempic and Mounjaro.

Judge James D. Cain Jr. of the US District Court for the Western District of Louisiana ruled that the companies’ connections to Louisiana were sufficient to establish jurisdiction in the state.

We have been talking a bit about this case, one of the first Ozempic lawsuits. Bjorklund alleges that she experienced extreme vomiting due to these drugs, resulting in the loss of her teeth.

More importantly, to other plaintiffs who have filed or will file an Ozempic lawsuit, Bjorklund has also petitioned the US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to consolidate federal lawsuits involving these medications into a single proceeding.

Novo Nordisk supports this consolidation, while Eli Lilly and some plaintiffs oppose including Lilly in a unified proceeding.

The hearing is this week, and we should have a ruling in early February. It is hard to conjure up scenarios where the court would deny an MDL.

So a month from this time, we will likely be talking about a new Ozempic class action lawsuit.

January 3, 2024 – Ozempic and Mounjaro Manufacturers Split on Lawsuit Consolidation

There have been some some recent developments have emerged regarding the potential Mounjaro and Ozempic class action lawsuit.

Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, favors consolidating the litigation, pointing to common factual, scientific, and legal aspects across the over 40 Ozempic lawsuits that have already been filed.

For this MDL class action lawsuit, Noro proposes either the Western District of Louisiana or, as an alternative, the Southern District of California.

On the other hand, Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Mounjaro, does not want to be part of an MDL.  Its position?  Ozempic is what this litigation is about.  It argues the majority of the gallbladder injury lawsuits are centered around Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and its off-label use for weight loss, which is not a claim associated with Lilly’s products, Mounjaro and Trulicity, both approved for managing type 2 diabetes and not for weight loss.

Eli Lilly also points out that only ten lawsuits involve their products. Should they be included in the multidistrict litigation, they suggest the Southern District of Indiana or the Middle District of North Carolina as suitable venues for these cases.

December 22, 2023 – Ozempic Lawsuit Filed in Louisiana 

In Louisiana, a lawsuit involving the diabetes drugs Ozempic and Mounjaro has been filed against Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly & Co.

The plaintiff claims to have suffered from severe health issues, such as extreme vomiting and tooth loss, due to these medications.

However, Novo Nordisk and its North American branch are disputing the Louisiana court’s jurisdiction, arguing there is no substantial link between them and the state.

The defendants assert that the lawsuit does not prove their incorporation or main business operations in Louisiana or show significant state interactions.

Additionally, the lawsuit lacks specific allegations of the companies’ directed activities towards Louisiana or information about the plaintiff’s history with drugs in the state.

The case also involves the U.S.-based subsidiaries of Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. The plaintiff is pushing to merge various federal cases related to these drugs into a single multidistrict litigation. With ongoing coverage of the case, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) is expected to address this consolidation issue in January.

Observers – well us, anyway, anticipate the likelihood of forming an Ozempic class action lawsuit.

December 11, 2023 – Federal Judge Rejects Novo Nordisk’s Motion

A Louisiana federal judge has mostly rejected Novo Nordisk Inc.’s motion to dismiss a legal challenge concerning insufficient warnings of possible side effects, particularly gastroparesis, related to the diabetes medication Ozempic.

This aspect of warning adequacy is crucial in any lawsuit involving Ozempic.

The judge ruled to dismiss the breach of express warranty allegations but permitted the progression of other claims in the case.

The judge also highlighted the lawsuit’s points regarding the lack of sufficient warnings for doctors, referencing the learned intermediary doctrine specific to Louisiana law.

The decision did not cover comparable allegations against Eli Lilly & Co.’s Mounjaro, with a verdict on those still to come. But it is reasonable to expect that they will break the same way.

December 5, 2023 – Plaintiffs File Motion to Centralize All Federal Lawsuits Involving Ozempic

A group of plaintiffs filed a motion with the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to centralize all federal gastroparesis lawsuits involving Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and similar GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs.

The motion suggests consolidating pretrial proceedings under U.S. District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. in the Western District of Louisiana.

While this process resembles a class action lawsuit, there’s a technical difference. In an MDL, individual lawsuits are combined for pretrial activities but remain separate for trials.

In contrast, a class action involves a group of plaintiffs treated as one entity, with outcomes affecting the entire class.

Currently, 18 cases are pending in various U.S. District Courts, and given the widespread use of these drugs, it’s likely that an MDL will be established.

November 7, 2023 – Ozempic Lawsuit Filed in Canada

An Ozempic class action lawsuit has been launched against Novo Nordisk in the Canadian courts by a plaintiff who alleges Ozempic led to severe gastrointestinal issues for her.

October 6, 2023 – JAMA Study Finds Association Between Ozempic and Serious Gastrointestinal Problems

This new JAMA study will throw gas on the fire of new Ozempic lawsuits.

About Ozempic

Ozempic is the brand name for semaglutide, an antidiabetic medication that is primarily used for the treatment and management of type-2 diabetes. Ozempic works by prompting the body to increase insulin secretion and the disposal of blood sugar, which improves glycemic control.

Although Ozempic is only approved for use in the treatment of diabetes, it has recently gain popularity for off-label use as a weight loss and anti-obesity drug.  Ozempic is typically taken in the form of injections 2 times per month.

Ozempic was developed by Novo Nordisk, an international pharmaceutical company headquartered in Denmark that specializes in medications for the treatment of diabetes. Novo Nordisk first developed Ozempic in 2012 and it was approved for use by the FDA and released on the U.S. market in late 2017.

In 2021, a higher-dose version of Ozempic (sold under the brand name Wegovy) was approved by the FDA.

Crazy History of How Ozempic Happened

In the early 1990s, Novo Nordisk researchers discovered that liraglutide, a GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonist, caused rats to almost completely stop eating when injected with the compound. GLP-1 agonists are medications that help lower blood sugar levels and promote weight loss by mimicking the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone. These drugs bind to GLP receptors, triggering the effects of the GLP-1 hormone, with higher doses resulting in more pronounced effects.

One Novo Nordisk scientist, Lotte Bjerre Knudsen, noted that the rats “starved themselves,” indicating a significant role of these peptides in appetite regulation. Subsequent testing in humans revealed that those receiving a GLP-1 agonist ate 12% less at a lunch buffet compared to those who received a placebo. Based on these findings, Novo Nordisk decided to study liraglutide not only as a diabetes drug but also as a potential treatment for obesity.

In 2010, liraglutide was approved by the FDA for diabetes treatment under the brand name Victoza. Following this, Novo Nordisk continued to study the drug for weight loss. After clinical trials, the FDA approved liraglutide for obesity treatment in 2014, marketed as Saxenda. Despite the modest weight loss effects of Saxenda, Novo Nordisk developed a new molecule, semaglutide, aiming for a longer-lasting GLP-1 agonist that patients would not need to inject daily.

Semaglutide was branded as Ozempic, and Novo Nordisk submitted a new drug application to the FDA for regulatory approval of a once-weekly injectable treatment for Type 2 diabetes in 2016. The FDA approved Ozempic in 2017, and the drug demonstrated a 15% weight loss in addition to diabetic control, significantly higher than Saxenda’s effects.

In 2021, Novo Nordisk completed clinical trials studying semaglutide for weight loss, and the results showed sustained, clinically relevant reductions in body weight for overweight and obese participants. Theres is a reason for the Ozempic craze – largely, the durg works. But the trial data also highlighted gastrointestinal events, with a higher discontinuation rate in the semaglutide group due to these events.

How Ozempic Works

Ozempic works by mimicking the function of GLP-1. After a person eats, the body’s natural response is to release insulin to manage the increase in blood sugar. In people with type 2 diabetes, this system may not function effectively, leading to high blood sugar levels. Ozempic triggers insulin production after meals, reducing blood sugar levels.

It also slows down digestion, which helps to lower glucose levels in the blood further. Furthermore, it decreases the amount of glucose produced by the liver, maintaining a balance in the blood sugar levels.

Credit where credit is due – the drug works. But the question is whether everyone should use it given the risks.  That is what this litigation is about.

Clinical Use

This medication is usually prescribed when diet and exercise alone do not provide adequate control of blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It may be used as a standalone treatment or in combination with other diabetic medications such as metformin. It is not used for treating type 1 diabetes or for people with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Administration and Dosage

Ozempic is not a pill but a subcutaneous injection, typically given once a week. It’s injected into the skin of the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm.

The initial dosage is usually 0.25 mg per week for the first month, serving as a period for the body to adjust to the medication. This dose is then increased to 0.5 mg per week.

Depending on the patient’s response and tolerability, the dose may be further increased to a maximum of 1 mg per week.

Side Effects

As with any medication, Ozempic comes with potential side effects. The most common ones include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation.

Many of these side effects are more common when a person first starts taking the drug and may lessen over time.

Other side effects may include reduced appetite, indigestion, bloating, and fatigue. More severe but less common side effects include pancreatitis, changes in vision, and kidney problems.

This is a good time to cull out the side effects our Ozempic lawyers think are injuries that may lead to settlements because while the defendants might not agree, we believe are related to Ozempic:

Gastroparesis or Stomach Paralysis from Using Ozempic

Gastroparesis, also known as stomach paralysis, can occur from using Ozempic. This condition affects normal muscle movement in the stomach, slowing down or stopping the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine, causing severe digestive issues. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, and a feeling of fullness after eating just a few bites. It can lead to serious complications such as malnutrition, dehydration, and fluctuations in blood sugar levels.  This is the signature injury for 95% of plaintiffs in this litigation right now.  Our Ozempic lawyers flush this injury out more below.

Gastrointestinal Issues Requiring Overnight Hospitalization from Using Ozempic

Patients using Ozempic may experience severe gastrointestinal issues that necessitate overnight hospitalization. These issues can include intense abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, severe dehydration, and other complications that require medical intervention and monitoring.

Esophageal Damage Necessitating Surgical Intervention from Using Ozempic

Esophageal damage can occur from using Ozempic, requiring surgical intervention. This damage may be due to severe inflammation, tears, or other complications within the esophagus, leading to difficulty swallowing, pain, and increased risk of infection.

Ileus or Bowel Obstruction from Using Ozempic

Ileus or bowel obstruction involves a blockage in the intestines that prevents the normal movement of digestive contents. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and inability to pass gas. This condition, which can result from using Ozempic, can lead to significant complications and often requires surgical treatment to remove the obstruction.

Pulmonary Aspiration from Using Ozempic

Pulmonary aspiration occurs when food, liquid, or other substances are inhaled into the lungs instead of being swallowed into the esophagus. This can cause serious respiratory issues, including pneumonia and other infections, and may require medical intervention. Pulmonary aspiration can be a complication of using Ozempic.

Gallbladder Injury Necessitating Surgery from Using Ozempic

Many patients experiencd gallbladder injury necessitating surgical intervention. This includes conditions such as gallstones, cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder), and other gallbladder-related complications that require removal of the gallbladder. Our Ozempic lawyers are only taking these cases if the patientbegan using Ozempic in 2021 or earlier.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Related Complications, Including Death from Using Ozempic

Sudden Vision Loss or Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION) from Using Ozempic

This is a new one based on a study that came out in July 2024 that we talk about in the comments above.   Sudden vision loss can occur from using Ozempic due to nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition where blood flow to the optic nerve is reduced. This can lead to permanent vision loss in one or both eyes and requires immediate medical attention to prevent further damage.

Ozempic Linked to Gastroparesis

At the center of the Ozempic lawsuits is new evidence showing that prolonged and/or high dose use of Ozempic (and related drugs) is linked to a serious health condition called gastroparesis. An estimated 95% of the lawsuits in the Ozempic MDL involve gastroparesis.

Gastroparesis is a medical condition that affects the normal movement of the muscles in the stomach, leading to delayed emptying of food from the stomach into the small intestine. Normally, after consuming food, the stomach contracts to break down the food and then moves it into the small intestine for further digestion and absorption of nutrients.

In gastroparesis, this process is disrupted due to nerve damage or muscle dysfunction that affects the stomach’s ability to contract properly. As a result, food remains in the stomach for an extended period, causing symptoms such as:

1. Nausea and vomiting: Food that stays in the stomach can cause feelings of fullness, bloating, and nausea, leading to vomiting in some cases.

2. Early satiety: Feeling full quickly when eating, even with small amounts of food.

3. Abdominal pain or discomfort: This can be caused by the distension of the stomach due to delayed emptying.

4. Heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux: Delayed emptying of the stomach can lead to backup of stomach acid into the esophagus, causing symptoms of reflux.

5. Changes in blood sugar levels: In diabetic individuals, gastroparesis can affect blood sugar control because the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates are delayed.

Treatment of gastroparesis aims to relieve symptoms and improve stomach emptying. This may involve dietary modifications (such as eating smaller, more frequent meals of low-fiber and low-fat foods), medications to stimulate stomach emptying or control symptoms like nausea and vomiting, and sometimes procedures or surgery in severe cases.

Management often requires a multidisciplinary approach involving gastroenterologists, dietitians, and other specialists to tailor treatment to the individual’s needs.

What Are the Ozempic Lawsuits Really About?

In the lawsuit against Novo Nordisk regarding Ozempic, the main complaint is that the company didn’t properly warn doctors and patients about the risk of gastroparesis, a serious stomach condition, when taking the drug. That is the big issue. The label on Ozempic does mention some effects on stomach emptying but doesn’t specifically say that gastroparesis is a risk.

The company’s website also doesn’t include this risk in its safety information section.

Previously, the Ozempic label had a section advising doctors to tell patients about common side effects like nausea and vomiting.

However, this section was removed in 2020. This is important because ongoing vomiting can be a sign of gastroparesis. The label also used to say that vomiting usually decreases over time, which could lead doctors to overlook gastroparesis symptoms.

The Ozempic lawsuit also drills down on the idea that Ozempic’s label advises women to stop using the drug at least two months before planning a pregnancy. This indicates that the effects of the drug, like vomiting, can last for a while after stopping it. This point is effectively used to argue that Novo Nordisk should have been more upfront about the risk of gastroparesis and its long-lasting effects.

Since Ozempic was approved, Novo Nordisk is accused of not providing adequate warnings about the link between Ozempic and gastroparesis. The lawsuit claims that the company knew or should have known about this risk based on clinical studies and medical literature. Despite this knowledge, it’s alleged that they didn’t warn the medical community or patients properly.

If Novo Nordisk had provided clear warnings, the lawsuit argues, doctors might have made different decisions about prescribing Ozempic or would have monitored patients more closely for gastroparesis symptoms, potentially avoiding the condition.

The Science

In August 2022, a Research Letter published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine revealed that Ozempic (and other similar drugs) appeared to be linked to higher rates of gallbladder problems such as gallstones and acute gallbladder disease. The findings were based on a review conducted by the Food and Drug Administration using data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

The FDA data showed that individuals who used Ozempic for type-2 diabetes treatment displayed a significantly higher rate of gallbladder health conditions, particularly acute gallbladder disease (acute cholecystitis).

Acute gallbladder disease is characterized by sudden inflammation of the gallbladder. It is usually caused by gallstones blocking the tube leading out of the gallbladder.

It is a serious condition that must be treated in the hospital to avoid further injury. In many cases, treatment involves surgical removal of the gallbladder.

The study concluded that there was an increased risk of both gallstones (cholelithiasis) (RR 1.27; and acute gallbladder disease (cholecystitis) with Ozempic compared to placebo or active comparator.

The researchers also concluded that the risk of gallbladder problems from Ozempic was higher when the drug was at higher doses, for longer durations, and when the drug was used for weight loss.

The conclusions published in the 2022 Research Letter were consistent with findings in two prior meta-analysis studies on an association between drugs like Ozempic and gallbladder problems and gallstones. These prior studies were published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice (2020) and Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism (2017).

October 2023 Study

A recent study investigated how certain diabetes drugs, such as Ozempic and Liraglutide, affect people when used for weight loss, a purpose different from their original design. This study provides ample fodder for every Ozempic lawsuit.

The research was conducted by a team from the University of British Columbia, Canada, and the results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The study included a substantial sample size, analyzing the medical records of 16 million patients from 2006 to 2020, using the PharMetrics Plus for Academics database. This database captures a large proportion of outpatient prescriptions and physician diagnoses in the U.S.

What did they find?  They found exactly what Ozempic lawyers thought they would find.

The study found that those who used diabetes drugs for shedding pounds were at a higher risk of developing several stomach-related issues. These included pancreatitis, a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed and painful; gastroparesis, a disorder that slows or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the intestines; and bowel obstruction, a blockage in the intestines.

However, the study did not link these diabetes medications to an increased risk of biliary disease, which affects the gallbladder and bile ducts.

The findings showed an increased risk of several gastrointestinal issues in patients using GLP-1 agonists for weight loss compared to those using bupropion-naltrexone. These adverse events included pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying), and bowel obstruction, but not biliary disease (issues related to the gallbladder and bile ducts).

For instance, the incidence rates per 1000 person-years for biliary disease were 18.6 for liraglutide, 11.7 for semaglutide, and 12.6 for bupropion-naltrexone. For pancreatitis, the incidence rates were 7.9 for liraglutide, 4.6 for semaglutide, and 1.0 for bupropion-naltrexone.

Ozempic Risks Were Known for a Long Time

The studies we cite about are among the strongest studies.  But the knowledge of the risk go back much further.

A 2016 trial funded by Novo Nordisk on semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes patients revealed more gastrointestinal disorders in the semaglutide group compared to the placebo group.

These included severe adverse events like impaired gastric emptying, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and intestinal obstruction.

In the trial, two subjects permanently discontinued treatment due to moderate impaired gastric emptying, and three reported mild events of the same during the semaglutide run-in period.  This was a clue, certainly not that first clue, of the stomach complications with Ozempic.

A study published in 2017 added more concern, nothing that GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) like semaglutide suppress gastric emptying by inhibiting stomach peristalsis while increasing contraction of the pyloric region.

Yet another 2017 study surveyed 10,987 patients and 851 physicians, finding gastrointestinal issues were the top reasons for discontinuing GLP-1RAs, with many patients reporting symptoms of gastroparesis, such as feeling sick and vomiting.

Further studies and medical literature, including those in 2019 and 2020, identified adverse events like diabetic gastroparesis and emphasized that some patients might not know they have gastroparesis until starting GLP-1RA therapy.

A 2021 article in the Journal of Investigative Medicine highlighted the importance of identifying causative drugs for gastroparesis, especially since both diabetes and GLP-1RAs can delay gastric emptying, complicating diagnosis and treatment.

Ozempic Lawsuit Settlement Amounts

It is way too early in the litigation to make any meaningful estimations of the potential settlement value of Ozempic gastroparesis injury lawsuits. These claims are very new, and the admissibility of the scientific causation evidence has not yet been tested.

Our lawyers can, however, make an educated guess as to the potential settlement value range for these cases based on prior settlements in cases involving similar injuries.

Assuming that the causation evidence holds and these cases are otherwise successful, we think that the average settlement amounts of the top-tier Ozempic lawsuits could be $400,000 to $700,000.

The top tier cases will primarily be those in which the plaintiff developed gastroparesis and suffered serious health complications as a result.  But if the science pans out on these NAION vision loss claims, you could see settlement values that go far beyond gastroparesis.

Most Ozempic lawsuits will not have meaningful lifelong injuries.  The average Ozempic settlement payout will be much lower than $400,000.

Get an Ozempic Lawyer

Ozempic lawsuits are being filed around the country.  If you have an Ozempic lawsuit, now is the time to act. Call our attorneys today at 800-553-8082 or reach out to us online.