The injectable drug Ozempic is displayed in Houston on Saturday, July 1, 2023. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
Multiple lawsuits are moving forward in the United States from various individuals who assert Novo Nordisk and Eli Lily, the makers of diabetes and weight loss medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy, failed to advise them about potential harmful effects including stomach paralysis and severe gallbladder damage.
These and similar allegations are coming from users of the injectable drugs called “GLP-1 agonists” in states like Arizona, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas and others, leading to a multidistrict litigation proceeding before a federal judge in Pennsylvania that recently chose to consolidate the cases as they move forward.
Novo Nordisk stated in an email to Law&Crime on Friday that the lawsuits “are without merit” and the company plans to “strongly defend against these claims,” although it was satisfied with the decision to centralize all of the litigation before U.S. District Judge Gene E.K. Pratter. Pratter was appointed by former President George W. Bush.
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk said, “Patient safety is our top priority at Novo Nordisk and we work closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to continuously monitor the safety profile of our medicines.” The known risks and benefits of semaglutide and liraglutide medicines are described in their FDA-approved product labeling. Novo Nordisk stands behind the safety and effectiveness of all of our GLP-1 medicines when they are used as indicated and when they are taken under the care of a licensed healthcare professional.
However, in a lawsuit filed by around 30 plaintiffs against the drugmakers, it is alleged that the companies did not properly disclose gastrointestinal risks including something called “gastroparesis” or stomach paralysis.
Instead, the 253-page amended complaint states that the label only mentions delayed gastric emptying and minor delay in gastric emptying, but does not disclose gastroparesis as a risk or a chronic condition that can result from taking Ozempic.
“These statements only describe the drug’s mechanism of action and do not disclose gastroparesis as a risk of taking Ozempic, nor do they disclose gastroparesis as a chronic condition that can result as a consequence of taking Ozempic,” the plaintiffs’ attorney, Anthony G. Simon, wrote in a Mar. 8 complaint.
In a report by USA Today, a man named Paulsen Bronston, who has diabetes and lives in Arizona, said that after he began taking Ozempic — under his doctor’s supervision — he started having extreme diarrhea at first.
His condition got worse and he mentioned that his eyes turned yellow and he had to go to the hospital to get his gallbladder removed. Other people who filed lawsuits claim they suffered severe distress and permanent harm after taking the medications. Many say they have had to pay large amounts for medical treatment as a result. While some injuries have been lasting, others have not.
The cases before Pratter alone involve accusations from at least 50 individuals and as USA Today reported, many more complaints are expected to come in the coming weeks and months as the drugs continue to become more popular. An attorney with offices in California and Montana has claimed that he currently represents 2,000 people who are reporting unexpected side effects from the medication.
Novo Nordisk produces Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus; others who have sued allege issues with Eli Lily’s versions of the diabetes and weight loss drugs, Trulicity and Mounajro.
A spokesperson for Eli Lily did not immediately respond to a request for comment.