Ozempic & GLP-1 RA Lawsuits: Seeking Justice for Severe Side Effects
Ozempic, and other GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) drugs like Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Rybelsus, have been widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes and increasingly for weight management. While often effective, a growing wave of lawsuits alleges that manufacturers, including Novo Nordisk (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) and Eli Lilly & Co. (Mounjaro), failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about severe and sometimes permanent side effects.
If you or a loved one experienced severe gastrointestinal issues (like gastroparesis or intestinal obstruction), sudden vision loss (NAION), or other serious complications after using Ozempic or a similar GLP-1 RA drug, your family may be entitled to significant compensation. Tort Portal is dedicated to connecting you with experienced legal professionals who are actively pursuing these critical lawsuits.
What are GLP-1 RA Drugs and Why Are They Under Scrutiny?
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists are a class of medications designed to help manage blood sugar levels and, more recently, aid in weight loss. They work by mimicking a natural hormone in the body, which slows down digestion, affects appetite, and helps control blood sugar.
Despite their widespread use, these drugs are under intense legal scrutiny due to allegations of:
- Severe Gastrointestinal Injuries: Lawsuits primarily focus on conditions like gastroparesis (stomach paralysis) and intestinal obstruction (ileus).
- Inadequate Warnings: Plaintiffs allege that manufacturers knew or should have known about the severity and duration of these side effects but failed to provide sufficient warnings to the public and medical community.
Key Side Effects & Injuries in Ozempic/GLP-1 RA Lawsuits
The most common and serious injuries cited in current litigation include:
- Gastroparesis (Stomach Paralysis):
- Description: A debilitating condition where the stomach muscles function poorly or not at all, preventing food from moving properly into the small intestine.
- Symptoms: Severe, persistent nausea, chronic vomiting (sometimes leading to dental issues or dehydration), abdominal pain, bloating, feeling full quickly, and significant weight loss or malnutrition. Lawsuits often claim this condition is permanent.
- Intestinal Obstruction (Ileus / Bowel Obstruction):
- Description: A blockage that prevents food, fluids, or gas from passing through the intestines, potentially leading to serious complications like perforation, infection, and requiring emergency surgery.
- Symptoms: Severe abdominal cramping, intense pain, significant bloating, loss of appetite, inability to pass gas or have a bowel movement, and persistent vomiting.
- NAION (Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy) / Vision Loss:
- Description: Sometimes called “eye stroke,” this involves a sudden loss of blood flow to the optic nerve, leading to irreversible partial or complete vision loss in one or both eyes. Emerging data and lawsuits suggest a link between GLP-1 RA use and an increased risk of NAION.
- Pancreatitis:
- Description: Inflammation of the pancreas, which can be life-threatening.
- Symptoms: Severe upper abdominal pain often radiating to the back, nausea, vomiting, and fever.
- Gallbladder Disease:
- Description: Including gallstones (cholelithiasis) and inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis), potentially requiring surgical removal.
Other reported severe side effects in the context of adverse event reports and ongoing investigations include severe dehydration, kidney injury, and pulmonary aspiration (food/liquid entering lungs).
Ozempic & GLP-1 RA Lawsuits: Current Litigation Status (Mid-June 2025)
Thousands of individuals diagnosed with severe injuries after using Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Rybelsus have filed lawsuits against manufacturers, alleging inadequate warnings about the drugs’ dangerous side effects.
Key Developments:
- Federal Multidistrict Litigation (MDL 3094): Many federal lawsuits alleging gastrointestinal injuries have been consolidated into an MDL in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, overseen by Judge Karen Marston. As of June 2025, the number of claims in this MDL is rapidly approaching 1,900, with new cases being filed regularly.
- “Failure to Warn” is Key: The central allegation in these lawsuits is that manufacturers failed to provide adequate warnings to patients and healthcare providers about the potential for severe, long-lasting gastrointestinal issues and other serious adverse events.
- NAION (Vision Loss) Cases Emerging: A growing number of lawsuits specifically involving NAION and other vision loss issues are being filed. In June 2025, a motion was filed to consolidate 21 Ozempic and Wegovy NAION lawsuits into a Multicounty Litigation (MCL) in New Jersey state court, suggesting a potential separate, organized litigation track for these specific injuries.
- Litigation Progress: The federal MDL is progressing through discovery, with focus on the manufacturers’ knowledge of risks and the adequacy of their warnings. As of mid-2025, bellwether (test) trials have not yet begun, but the increasing case count and organized litigation efforts indicate significant momentum.
- FDA Monitoring & Label Updates: The FDA continues to monitor adverse event reports. Warning labels for GLP-1 RA drugs have been updated over time to include risks such as pancreatitis, gallbladder issues, acute kidney injury, and severe gastrointestinal reactions, including specific mention of intestinal obstruction and gastroparesis (the latter was added to some labels in late 2023/early 2024). Pulmonary aspiration was also added to labels in late 2024.
Plaintiffs in these lawsuits are seeking compensation for:
- Extensive medical expenses (past and future treatments for severe GI issues, vision loss, etc.).
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity due to the debilitating nature of their injuries.
- Significant pain and suffering.
- Emotional distress and mental anguish.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Wrongful death damages for families who lost loved ones due to Ozempic-related complications.
Do You Qualify for an Ozempic Lawsuit?
You may be eligible to file an Ozempic or GLP-1 RA lawsuit if:
- You were prescribed and used Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Rybelsus, or a similar GLP-1 receptor agonist drug.
- You were diagnosed with a severe side effect, such as:
- Gastroparesis (Stomach Paralysis)
- Intestinal Obstruction (Ileus)
- NAION (Sudden Vision Loss)
- Pancreatitis
- Gallbladder disease requiring surgery
- Other similarly severe and related gastrointestinal or neurological conditions.
- Your diagnosis occurred after you began using the medication.
It is critical to act promptly. Strict statutes of limitations (legal deadlines) apply to filing these types of lawsuits, and these deadlines vary significantly by state. Consulting with a specialized attorney as soon as possible is crucial to preserve your legal rights.
Let Tort Portal Connect You with Ozempic & GLP-1 RA Legal Experts
Navigating a dangerous drug lawsuit against major pharmaceutical companies like Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly requires highly specialized legal knowledge, extensive resources, and a deep understanding of complex medical and scientific evidence.
Tort Portal can help. We specialize in connecting individuals affected by severe Ozempic/GLP-1 RA side effects with leading law firms that have proven expertise and a strong track record in pharmaceutical mass tort litigation. Our partner attorneys are at the forefront of this evolving litigation, committed to investigating your claim thoroughly, advocating fiercely on your behalf, and pursuing the maximum compensation you deserve.
If you or a loved one developed a severe injury after using Ozempic or a similar GLP-1 RA drug, don’t face this immense challenge alone. Take the first step toward understanding your legal options and securing the justice you deserve.