Ozempic Lawsuit

May 18, 2026 – NAION Claims Are No Longer a Side Issue

The NAION vision loss cases are no longer just an interesting side theory in the Ozempic litigation. They now have their own federal MDL and a growing case inventory. That changes the settlement conversation.

At first, most of the attention was on gastroparesis and stomach paralysis. Those cases are still important. But plaintiffs’ lawyers are increasingly focused on NAION because the injury is clearer, the harm is usually permanent, and the recent studies are giving plaintiffs a stronger causation story.

This does not mean every vision problem after Ozempic or Wegovy is a lawsuit. It does not work that way. A viable NAION claim usually needs a confirmed diagnosis from an ophthalmologist or neuro-ophthalmologist, a clear medication timeline, and records showing when the vision loss began. But for the right cases, NAION may become the strongest part of the GLP-1 litigation.

April 30, 2026 – FDA Says Older Ozempic Product Was Not Withdrawn for Safety Reasons

The FDA issued a notice finding that Ozempic semaglutide solution, 2 mg/1.5 mL, was not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness. This does not end the Ozempic lawsuits. It also does not mean the FDA has rejected the gastroparesis or NAION claims.

The notice is narrower than that. It simply means FDA determined that this older Ozempic presentation was not pulled from the market because it was unsafe or ineffective. Defendants may still try to use the notice in litigation because drug companies use every regulatory fact they can find. But plaintiffs should not overread it either way.

The lawsuits are not based on the idea that Ozempic has no medical value. These drugs can help many patients. The lawsuits are about whether Novo Nordisk and other manufacturers adequately warned doctors and patients about serious risks. That remains the core issue.

April 15, 2026 – Strong New Evidence

A major new study published in JAMA Ophthalmology in February 2026 just gave plaintiffs’ lawyers handling semaglutide NAION cases a significant piece of evidence. Researchers analyzed over 100,000 veterans with type 2 diabetes and found that patients who started semaglutide had more than twice the risk of developing NAION compared to patients who started a different diabetes medication in the same class.

That is no small signal. That is a 2.33-fold increased risk after the researchers controlled for confounding variables, a number that gets you past Daubert. The p-value was less than .001, indicating very strong statistical confidence.

March 5, 2025 – Good GLP-1 Study

A large new study of more than 600,000 U.S. veterans found that GLP-1 drugs used for diabetes and obesity, including Ozempic and Mounjaro, were associated with lower rates of addiction and overdose. Patients who started a GLP-1 drug were about 14 percent less likely to develop a substance use disorder compared to those taking another diabetes medication. Among patients who already had addiction diagnoses, the drugs were linked to a 50 percent lower risk of substance-related death and a 39 percent lower risk of overdose, along with fewer addiction-related hospital visits and emergency room trips. Researchers believe these medications may reduce the “noise” in the brain that drives cravings, although the study was observational and cannot prove cause and effect.

These findings reinforce something we have said from the beginning. These drugs are not all bad. They can provide real benefits for many patients. The issue in the litigation has never been that the medications have no value. The issue is whether drug companies properly warned doctors and patients about the known risks and side effects. When medications carry serious dangers, the law requires companies to disclose those risks so doctors and patients can make informed decisions.

February 18, 2026 – NAION Takes Front and Center

While the early momentum in the Ozempic litigation was built around gastroparesis allegations, many plaintiffs’ lawyers now see more promise in the NAION (non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy) claims. The gastroparesis cases are not anywhere near dead but they are facing headwinds, particularly around causation, preexisting conditions, and the challenges of proving long-term injury from a gastrointestinal disorder that’s often multifactorial.

By contrast, the NAION claims offer a more direct and identifiable harm—sudden vision loss—and may ultimately present a clearer narrative to both judges and juries. Lawyers are still very hopeful about the litigation overall, but the real energy right now is coming from the NAION cases that are likely to proceed in state court in New Jersey (although Eli Lilly wants to keep them in federal court in an MDL).

January 6, 2026 – Over 3,000 Total Cases

With the widespread use of Ozempic and other GLP-1 weight loss drugs, the related MDL continues to grow. As of January 2026, there are 3,063 cases pending.

December 9, 2025 – 27 New Cases in November

With widespread use of Ozempic and similar GLP‑1 medications, filings continue to rise. Twenty‑seven new cases were added in November, increasing the total to 2,947.

November 4, 2025 – MDL Case Count Update

An additional 800 cases have been added since August 1, averaging about 200 new filings per month. The current total is 2,914 pending cases.

August 20, 2025 – New Ruling

The MDL judge narrowed but did not dismiss the multidistrict litigation over Ozempic, Mounjaro, and related GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, which face more than 2,600 lawsuits alleging they cause stomach paralysis and other gastrointestinal injuries.

Judge Marston struck several claims, including medical monitoring and design defect (preempted by FDA rules), and criticized plaintiffs’ negligence claims as overly broad. She also dismissed what she called vague misrepresentation claims tied to unspecified communications.

But there is good news.  The court allowed failure-to-warn allegations regarding drug labels to proceed. Breach of warranty claims were also upheld.

The bottom line is that you need a gastric emptying study to bring a gastroparesis claim.  But the litigation continues and that was not a sure thing last week before this ruling.

August 7, 2025 – New Study

A newly released study reveals a potential link between Ozempic and hair loss. Among more than 3,000 participants without diabetes, those using Ozempic were approximately 52 percent more likely to report hair loss. The risk was even higher for women, who were twice as likely to experience this side effect compared to non-users. This finding could open the door to a new category of claims tied to physical disfigurement and emotional distress.

August 1, 2025 – Case Count

The GLP-1 MDL now includes 2,190 pending cases. That figure is up from approximately 2,000 one month earlier. The litigation continues to focus on severe gastrointestinal injuries, such as gastroparesis, as well as vision-related injuries like NAION. Plaintiffs’ lawyers are tracking additional emerging issues and expanding the scope of claims as more patients come forward.

July 29, 2025 – NAION Class Action Sought

 A proposed class action in New Jersey related to vision loss injuries has picked up speed. More than 30 plaintiffs have requested a multicounty litigation designation, pointing to a growing pool of cases that center on ocular damage rather than gastrointestinal complications. These cases could eventually be spun into a separate proceeding or consolidated track depending on how the volume and science develop.

Right now, it is fair to say Ozempic lawyers are more interested in NAION claims than any other GLP-1 injuries.

May 2, 2025 – MDL Adds Over 500 New Cases

The Ozempic MDL  now includes 1,685 active cases. This is up from 1,148 just a month ago. That surge of more than 500 new filings marks one of the most dramatic month-over-month increases in any mass tort currently underway. The spike comes amid aggressive legal advertising and rising awareness of alleged gastrointestinal side effects linked to GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.

April 23, 2025 – New Case Added to MDL

In a new Ozempic lawsuit, a North Carolina woman alleged that Ozempic caused her to suffer permanent vision loss due to nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION)—a condition that leads to sudden, irreversible blindness. Filed in New Jersey federal court, this suit is not part of the Philadelphia-based MDL involving gastrointestinal injuries tied to GLP-1 receptor agonists. Instead, it reflects a distinct and growing category of litigation focused on severe ocular injuries allegedly caused by semaglutide and related drugs.

The plaintiff used Ozempic for less than a year before developing NAION in her left eye, a diagnosis that left her permanently impaired. Her complaint points to a substantial and expanding body of evidence linking this drug class to optic nerve ischemia. Recent peer-reviewed studies published in JAMA Ophthalmology and real-world cohort analyses from Denmark and Norway have reported a significantly increased risk of NAION among semaglutide users—some suggesting up to a seven-fold risk compared to non-users. Further support comes from FDA adverse event data and case reports documenting NAION diagnoses following GLP-1 RA exposure, including instances of re-challenge.

Despite these warning signs, Novo Nordisk has never updated the Ozempic label to include any reference to vision loss or NAION. The plaintiff alleges that Novo ignored clear safety signals while pouring resources into an aggressive, multi-platform marketing campaign that transformed Ozempic into a cultural phenomenon. She argues that this campaign prioritized profits over patient safety, promoting off-label use for weight loss long before any approval for that indication.

April 1, 2025 – Ozempic MDL Case Count Rises to 1,685 With 164 March Filings

Another 164 lawsuits were filed directly into the GLP-1 receptor agonist MDL in March, continuing a steady increase in case volume that began in early 2025. The litigation remains focused on claims that semaglutide-based drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy cause gastroparesis and other gastrointestinal injuries. The next major milestone is the May 2025 Daubert hearing, which will test the strength of the plaintiffs’ expert testimony on causation.

March 26, 2025 – New Illinois Lawsuit in MDL

In a new lawsuit filed yesterday in the GLP-1 receptor agonists MDL, a plaintiff from Belleville, Illinois, alleges that Novo Nordisk knowingly concealed the true risks of its diabetes drug, Ozempic. The lawsuit claims the plaintiff was prescribed, purchased, and used Ozempic in Illinois before suffering severe gastrointestinal injuries, including gastroparesis, that required medical treatment. The complaint accuses Novo Nordisk of negligence and deceptive marketing, arguing that the company misrepresented the drug’s safety while aggressively promoting it.

March 24, 2025 – Response to Motion to Dismiss

Plaintiffs last week responded to defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, making it clear that dismissal is not warranted. The response dismantles defendants’ argument that the complaint is “nothing more than vague and conclusory allegations,” pointing instead to the detailed factual claims laid out in the pleadings. Rather than engage with these allegations, defendants attempt to impose a higher standard than what is required at this stage. But as plaintiffs explain, the law does not demand definitive proof before discovery—only a plausible claim supported by facts. Defendants also rely on materials outside the pleadings and factual disputes, both of which are improper grounds for dismissal.

Beyond these procedural flaws, plaintiffs directly address the core arguments. The response demonstrates that the claims are timely, citing well-settled principles such as tolling and the discovery rule. Defendants’ assertion that plaintiffs lack standing is similarly unfounded, as the complaint makes clear that plaintiffs have suffered a concrete injury directly tied to defendants’ conduct. At its core, defendants are attempting to end this case before it even begins. But as the response argues, dismissal would be inappropriate given the strength of the allegations and the applicable law.

March 5, 2025 – MDL Continues to Roll

The Ozempic class action MDL added 78 new cases in February, which is just slightly fewer than the 110 new cases seen in January. This could represent the new average monthly volume for this MDL going forward. The total number of pending cases now stands at 1,521.

February 6, 2025 – January Sees Over Three Times More Ozempic Cases Than December

The Ozempic MDL, which had been experiencing a temporary slowdown in new case filings, surged again in January with 110 new cases—more than triple the 31 cases added in December. With 1,443 cases now pending, the litigation is gaining momentum. Our law firm continues to get calls from new potential plaintiffs each week it is if fair to say that public awareness of these lawsuits is still gathering.

January 4, 2024 – Hearing Set for May 2025

The Ozempic MDL saw a slight slowdown in new filings during December, with 31 cases added, likely reflecting a holiday season lull. The total number of pending cases is now 1,331.

The first half of this year will focus on “cross-cutting” issues, including establishing causation, diagnostic criteria for gastroparesis, and potential federal preemption of the claims. The outcomes of these issues will shape the direction of the lawsuits. Judge Marston could dismiss all these lawsuits but the more likely outcome is she gives the green light to pushing this litigation forward.  Still, as we have been saying, this staged litigation process will drag these cases out.  We will not see trials in this litigation in the MD until late 2026 or early 2027, unfortunately.

December 31, 2024 – MDL Predicted to Reach 10,000 Cases

At the most recent status conference in the Ozempic MDL, plaintiffs’ lead counsel informed the judge to anticipate the addition of thousands, potentially tens of thousands, of cases to the MDL. This projection was based on a poll of plaintiffs’ attorneys regarding the number of potential cases currently under investigation, which revealed approximately 7,000 cases in progress. Notably, this figure only includes attorneys already involved in the litigation.

In the same conference, Judge Marston scheduled an evidentiary hearing for May 20, 2025, to address whether early discovery and motion practice will be allowed on key issues, including federal preemption, the adequacy of warning labels, and diagnostic testing standards for gastroparesis.

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.