Thousands of Ozempic lawsuits cleared to proceed in federal court

Update:

• A federal judge has largely denied a motion by Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to dismiss a multi-district litigation (MDL) involving over 2,600 lawsuits regarding their GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.
• If you were hospitalized due to side effects caused by Ozempic, Wegovy or Rybelsus, you may be eligible to pursue compensation through the MDL. 
• U.S. District Judge Karen Marston allowed most of the plaintiffs’ claims to proceed, including accusations that the drugmakers failed to warn patients about gastrointestinal issues and misrepresented the drugs’ safety and effectiveness for weight management.
• Some of the plaintiffs’ claims were dismissed for a lack of specificity, particularly those alleging fraudulent omission of information from marketing materials.
• However, the Marston ruled that the plaintiffs can file an amended complaint to provide more detail, allowing them to potentially reinstate the dismissed claims later in the litigation.
• The drug manufacturers maintain that the allegations are without merit and have stated they will vigorously defend themselves against the claims.

Weight loss drug risks MDL overview: 

• Who: Consumers filed a master complaint against pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly as part of a sprawling multidistrict litigation. 
• Why: The complaint claims Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly failed to warn consumers about the health risks associated with their GLP-1 RA class of weight loss medications, such as Ozempic. 
• Where: The MDL is in Pennsylvania federal court.
• How to Get Help: If you suffered negative health effects after taking Ozempic, Wegovy or Rybelsus, you may be eligible to take legal action. See if you qualify.

Pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly failed to warn consumers about health risks associated with weight loss drugs, such as Ozempic, a newly filed master complaint in a sprawling multidistrict litigation alleges. 

The complaint claims Novo Nordisk and Elil Lilly downplayed and failed to disclose gastrointestinal side effects their GLP-1 RA class of weight loss, diabetes and heart drugs may cause. 

Consumers argue Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly acknowledged gastrointestinal events are well-known side effects of their GLP-1 RA drugs yet never provided adequate warnings about the risks of multiple potential adverse reactions. 

“Defendants have downplayed the nature, duration, extent and seriousness of gastrointestinal events and failed to warn about other adverse events caused by their GLP-1 RAs,” the weight loss drug risks complaint says. 

In addition to Ozempic, the master complaint names the medications Wegovy, Rybelsus, Saxenda, Victoza, Mounjaro, Zepbound and Trulicity.

Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk ‘intentionally targeted’ Americans with weight loss drugs, suit says

Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk “intentionally targeted the American population” with the sale of their weight loss drugs, according to the complaint, which claims the companies “understood the vast financial potential of marketing a weight-loss medication in the United States.” 

“Defendants set on a course to create and expand the market for weight-loss medication by, among other things, advocating for obesity to be classified as a disease and thereby expanding the market for their drugs,” the complaint says. 

The complaint argues Elil Lilly and Novo Nordisk ultimately spent “untold millions” to get weight loss medications covered under public and private insurance and allegedly did so even before GLP-1 RAs were approved for weight loss. 

The master complaint brings claims under wrongful death, negligence, negligent undertaking, strict liability design defect, negligent design, innocent misrepresentation and fraud by omission, among a variety of things. 

The plaintiffs demand a jury trial and an award of compensatory and economic damages and punitive and/or exemplary damages. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers last year not to use generic versions of Ozempic and Wegovy over concerns they contain semaglutide that has been compounded or mixed in pharmacies and not approved for use in humans. 

Were you injured by a weight loss drug? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are represented by Paul J. Pennock of Morgan & Morgan PA, Parvin K. Aminolroaya of Seeger Weiss LLP, Jonathan Orent of Motley Rice LLC and Sarah Ruane of Wagstaff & Cartmell.

The weight loss drug risks MDL is In re: Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RAS) Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 2:24-md-3094, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

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