Ozempic is a weekly injection intended for type 2 diabetes treatment in adults. Its active ingredient is semaglutide, which mimics GLP-1, a hormone that occurs naturally in the gastrointestinal system. Ozempic is designed for long-term use in type 2 diabetes patients.
Ozempic activates the GLP-1 receptors in the pancreas and signals it to release more insulin when blood sugar levels rise. Ozempic’s GLP-1 mimicry also limits the body’s release of glucagon, a hormone responsible for telling the liver to release glucose. Both of these mechanisms result in more stable blood sugar levels for individuals with type 2 diabetes.
GLP-1 is also responsible for appetite regulation and gastric emptying. It tells the brain that the stomach is full and slows the body’s digestion of food. Due to these additional mechanisms, weight loss is a common side effect of Ozempic. Patients often report reduced hunger and greater feelings of fullness after eating.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ozempic for treating type 2 diabetes in 2017. Some healthcare providers have also prescribed Ozempic for weight loss in patients without type 2 diabetes. The FDA has not approved Ozempic for weight loss treatment, but a similar drug containing higher semaglutide levels does have FDA approval for weight loss purposes.
Patients using Ozempic for both its intended purpose and for weight loss have reported positive results, and studies support the efficacy of the drug in both cases. However, Ozempic has many potential side effects of varying severity. These side effects have prompted some patients and families to file lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturer.
Concerning Health Complications in Ozempic Users
Most Ozempic lawsuits revolve around the manufacturer’s failure to adequately warn patients about some of the drug’s potential side effects. They often allege that the manufacturer was aware of these side effects and did not disclose them to consumers or health care providers. These lawsuits claim that the manufacturer purposely concealed information about Ozempic’s risks and caused harm to patients.
Gastroparesis
One of the most common side effects mentioned in Ozempic lawsuits is gastroparesis, a digestive disorder involving delayed gastric emptying. Gastroparesis significantly slows or stops the process of food moving from the stomach to the small intestine, meaning the stomach cannot empty properly.
Studies indicate that taking Ozempic can increase gastroparesis risk, but the drug’s warning label has long failed to disclose this information. Gastroparesis can contribute to life-threatening health complications, such as malnutrition and excessive weight loss, as a result of its associated gastrointestinal symptoms.
Bowel Obstruction
Some claimants have also reported ileus, or bowel obstruction, after taking Ozempic. This life-threatening gastrointestinal condition can occur due to a physical obstruction or a problem with the bowel’s ability to contract properly. The latter can be a result of nerve signal issues, which Ozempic has been linked to in some cases.
At least 20 ileus cases — including two deaths — have been reported from Ozempic use. The FDA only added a warning of Ozempic’s risk of ileus to the drug’s label in October 2023 despite these preexisting reports.
Severe Vomiting
Ozempic’s potential effects on the digestive system, including gastroparesis and ileus, can cause severe vomiting in some patients. This vomiting can be so extreme and persistent that it injures the esophagus, and a 60-year-old woman sued Ozempic’s manufacturer for exactly that. She allegedly developed a torn esophagus, known medically as a Mallory-Weiss tear, due to severe vomiting caused by an Ozempic-related ileus.
Another woman filed a similar lawsuit in late 2023 alleging that Ozempic caused severe vomiting and pain. According to the lawsuit, the vomiting was so severe that it caused her to lose teeth.
Vision Loss
Using Ozempic may increase a patient’s risk of developing a rare eye condition known as nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). In fact, a new study found that diabetics prescribed semaglutide-containing drugs like Ozempic had more than four times the risk of developing this condition compared to diabetics prescribed other drugs. The risk was sevenfold for patients prescribed semaglutide for weight loss.
In patients with NAION, the optic nerve experiences a blockage of blood flow, which can cause permanent blindness. Treatment options are limited and cannot reverse the damage.
Blood Clots
Some patients have reported suffering blood clots, particularly deep vein thrombosis, while taking Ozempic. One study found a 266% higher risk of deep vein thrombosis in patients with type 2 diabetes who took semaglutide-containing drugs like Ozempic.
Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in the veins located deep in the body. It most commonly affects the legs, but it can also develop in the arms. When these clots break loose, they can travel through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, and cause a life-threatening condition known as a pulmonary embolism.
Gallbladder Injury
A 2022 analysis of FDA data between 2005 and 2016 found dozens of acute gallbladder disease cases in patients taking drugs that act on GLP-1 receptors. Seven of these cases occurred in patients taking Ozempic for diabetes or weight loss. 42% of the cases involved an onset of gallbladder disease within three months of starting the drug. This suggests a strong connection between Ozempic and gallbladder injury.
Several patients, including an Arizona man who had to get his gallbladder removed, have sued Ozempic’s manufacturer for the drug’s alleged link to gallbladder problems. The most common gallbladder-related disease reported among Ozempic users is cholecystitis, a type of inflammation that puts patients at risk of gallbladder rupture.
Pulmonary Aspiration
Surgical procedures performed under general anesthesia often require patients to stop eating for six to eight hours beforehand. Under normal circumstances, this would ensure that the patient’s stomach is empty and minimize the risk of stomach contents entering the lungs during surgery. However, Ozempic slows digestion, and in some cases, this has caused patients to still have food in their stomachs during surgery despite following the fasting instructions.
This increases the risk of pulmonary aspiration, a condition in which the patient inhales food or liquid into their lungs. Pulmonary aspiration can be life threatening and often causes lung damage and infections. The American Society of Anesthesiologists issued guidance in June 2023 advising patients to skip Ozempic and similar medications a week before undergoing any procedures requiring sedation, but this guidance may have come too late for some patients.
How Has Ozempic’s Manufacturer Responded to These Claims?
The Danish company behind Ozempic, Novo Nordisk, has pushed back against the allegations of its failure to adequately warn patients and providers about the drug’s risks.
For instance, Novo Nordisk filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the company failed to warn about Ozempic’s gastroparesis risk. The federal judge overseeing the case ultimately denied Novo Nordisk’s motion in December 2023, allowing the lawsuit to proceed. A spokesperson for the company responded, saying the company “believes that the allegations in the lawsuit are without merit, and we intend to vigorously defend against these claims.” Novo Nordisk has also asserted that its drugs have been extensively studied and undergo continuous monitoring.
As Novo Nordisk has continued to face Ozempic-related lawsuits alongside Mounjaro maker Eli Lilly & Co., the company expressed its support of combining both companies’ cases into a single proceeding. The Ozempic mass tort eventually proceeded, and the two defendants have argued that diabetes itself is to blame for many plaintiffs’ injuries rather than the drugs. [Lawsuit Legal News https://lawsuitlegalnews.com/ozempic-lawsuit/] This assertion contradicts a growing body of research showing a strong link between Ozempic use and severe gastrointestinal effects, such as gastroparesis and ileus, adjusting for diabetes’ effects.
What Is Required To Win an Ozempic Lawsuit?
Ozempic lawsuits are product liability claims that typically hinge on the concept of negligence. To win an Ozempic lawsuit for adverse side effects from the medication, injured patients and their lawyers must prove that Novo Nordisk failed to warn them or their physician about the drug’s potential dangers. There must be evidence that the company knew of these dangers — or should have known — and did not disclose them to patients and health care providers.
Claimants’ lawyers must also prove that Novo Nordisk’s failure to warn caused the claimant’s injuries and that they suffered damages as a result. Damages may be physical harm, financial losses, or emotional or mental distress.
The burden of proof is on the claimant and their lawyer, meaning it is their responsibility to provide evidence supporting their claims. Evidence of injury can include medical records related to both the initial Ozempic treatment and the resulting injury along with expert testimony from medical professionals. Documentation of financial damages, such as medical bills and employment records, can demonstrate the injury’s economic impact. Additionally, lawyers can use witness testimony to convey how the Ozempic-related injuries have affected claimants’ quality of life.
Common Damages in Ozempic Lawsuits
The claimants behind the current Ozempic lawsuits are asking Novo Nordisk for monetary compensation for the losses they suffered as a result of their Ozempic-related injuries. These losses, formally referred to as damages, are typically both economic and non-economic.
Economic damages in Ozempic lawsuits reflect the drug’s financial effects on claimants. These may include past, current, and future medical expenses claimants incurred due to Ozempic-related injuries.
Many claimants’ injuries have also affected their ability to work by requiring them to take time off to recover or causing permanent disabilities that prevent them from returning to their previous jobs. These claimants are seeking compensation for the value of lost wages and any future loss of earning capacity. Other economic damages sometimes cited in Ozempic lawsuits include transportation costs to and from medical appointments and the cost of home modifications or specialized equipment required for daily living due to the injuries.
Non-economic damages consider the physical and emotional toll that Ozempic’s harm has had on claimants’ quality of life. Pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, and disfigurement are all examples of non-economic damages for which claimants are seeking compensation in their lawsuits.
