Ozempic Lawsuits 2024: Red Carpet Radiance to Controversy

“When I look around at this room I can’t help but wonder, ‘Is Ozempic right for me?'”-

At the opening ceremony of Oscar, Comedic genius Jimmy Kimmel joked looking at the celebrities.

What did he mean?  Are you perplexed? I’ll tell you what it is.

You might have noticed the glowing smiles and vibrant energy of celebrities like Elon Musk and some of our favorite film stars. Well, the secret to their radiant health and vitality may just lie in a tiny vial of Ozempic.

This powerhouse medication, although primarily designed to treat type 2 diabetes, has hooked the curiosity of the glamor world for its potential weight loss benefits.

Yes, you read that right! Weight loss, one of the relentless pursuits in the star-studded universe, might be achieved with this surprising contender.

Elon Musk has lauded the qualities of the drug in his massive transformation in weight loss.

While on one side, this pageantry of the drug from the glam world leads to the shortage of the drug for the needy, on the other side, it rose to notoriety for causing adverse side effects and growing Ozempic lawsuits.

It’s a grim reality in the world of medical advancements – a medicinal product enters the market with much hype and promising hopes, only to become a defendant in the courtroom due to the harmful effects it brought along.

As the waves of this reality reach the shores of a widely prescribed diabetes drug, Ozempic, legal experts and patients alike are keeping a close eye on the unfolding Ozempic lawsuit 2023 and 2024.

Know the basics: What is Ozempic?

Ozempic, also known as semaglutide, was developed by Novo Nordisk with the aim of assisting adults in their battle against Type 2 diabetes. It belongs to the class of glucagon peptide (GLP-1) receptors, which assist in mitigating the high blood pressure level.

Is there any difference in Ozempic red pen and blue pen?

Red Ozempic pen is available in two Ozempic doses- starting dose in 0.25 mg and a maintenance dose in 0.5 mg. Ozempic blue pen comes with a maintenance dose of 1mg.

But, do you know, how Ozempic works?

It’s a fascinating process!

It does so by improving the body’s insulin production and suppressing glucose production in the liver.

As an injectable medication, Ozempic’s core function is to manage blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events like stroke and heart attack.

While Ozempic has revolutionized diabetes care with its unique approach and effectiveness, it’s not without its share of controversies and concerns. Before delving into the controversy, let’s have some basic knowledge on the manufacturer of Ozempic and its approval.

Probing into the Past of Ozempic

The Denmark pharmaceutical giant, Novo Nordisk, introduced Ozempic, or semaglutide, to the medical community in 2012. Riding on the promise of effectively managing type 2 diabetes and even aiding in weight loss, Ozempic initially enjoyed widespread acclaim among physicians.

Ozempic secured its approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2017 for treating only Type-2 diabetes and not for weight loss. It was marketed as a weekly injection and as an alternative to daily diabetes management medications, creating an aura of convenience around it.

Semaglutide is sold around the world under the brand names Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus. Though Wegovy was given the FDA approval in June 2021 for weight-loss treatment, some physicians and patients prefer Ozempic too for off-label weight loss treatment.

As we have seen in the beginning, many celebrities fell for the magical wonders of Ozempic.

However, despite its early acceptance, Ozempic soon found itself in the crosshairs of medical scrutiny.

Ozempic side effects: Can they be fatal?

Definitely! Various clinical studies and patient reports began to unravel a range of adverse side effects associated with the drug.

The most concerning among these was the increased risk of developing thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). This revelation was alarming enough to warrant a black box warning – the FDA’s most stringent caution – on Ozempic’s label.

This semaglutide black box warning came out as the result of studies on rodents, which revealed “causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures.”

The Ozempic product label also warns that it could cause adverse side effects listed below:

• Pancreatitis
• Changes in vision (Diabetic retinopathy)
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Kidney failure
• Allergic issues like swelling on the face, lip, tongue or throat
• Gall bladder issues like pain in upper abdomen, fever, yellowing of the skin as in Jaundice, etc.

Gall Bladder Issues:

Does ozempic cause gallbladder issues? Many plaintiffs and studies claim that Ozempic can cause gallbladder complications. Ozempic gallbladder side effects include cholelithiasis (gall stones), cholecystitis (inflammation), and cancer. When there is block in the gallbladder duct, it could cause detrimental inflammation. In many cases, it could end up in gallbladder removal.

Gall stone can appear due to two reasons- Cholesterol hardens to form stones and bilirubin hardens to form pigment stones.

Other common side effects of the drug include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Constipation

A notable side effect, which is not included in the label is the “Ozempic Face”. It means the aging or sagging of the facial skin. It happens after the rapid weight loss. Lack of appetite causes the body to produce less elastin and collagen, which prevents the facial skin loses its ability to retract following weight reduction.

Let’s see what the Fox News medical contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat said about Ozempic in a TV show-

Vital Evidence to Prove Ozempic Side Effects

From 2017 onwards, multiple scientific studies and reports have consistently highlighted the potential risk of gallstones and gallbladder disease associated with the use of Ozempic.

In 2017, a meta-analysis was published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism, which created earth-shattering evidence on the adverse side effects of Ozempic. This seminal study was the first to bring to light a potential link between Ozempic and gallbladder disease (elevated risk).

The primary goal of the research was to find how Glucagon receptors (GP-1) affected gallbladder (cholelithiasis, pancreatic cancer, and pancreatitis).

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) has recently undergone an evaluation by the FDA. The focus was to pinpoint instances of acute cholecystitis (AC) that have been linked with GLP-1 RA products which, up until this point, did not carry any warnings or precautions about the potential for acute gallbladder disease.

A research letter based on this was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine in August 2022. It cited that the Ozempic users are highly at risk of developing gallbladder issues like cholelithiasis and cholecystitis. The risk becomes heightened when Ozempic is taken for a longer period or at higher doses.

The comparative study by the JAMA Internal Medicine, found that 853 of 71,369 individuals admitted in hospitals for bile duct and gallbladder issues were linked to GLP-1 receptors.

A study published in the Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, the researchers identified that there is an elevated risk of cholelithiasis with glucagon peptide-1 receptors.

Another study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information revealed that people who stopped the glucogon receptors like Ozempic regained their lost weight and more, and other worse side effects like increased food cravings and rise in blood sugar level.

FDA Adverse Event Report on Ozempic

By the end of 2021, the FDA Adverse Reporting System (FAERS) received more than ten thousand adverse events on intestinal obstruction and other complaints. Out of which Ozempic caused around 75.29% of incidents, while Rybelus and Wegovy led to 12.14% and 5.6% incidents respectively.

In the period from 2005 to 2016, 36 patients on Ozempic were reported to have developed this condition, leading to the unfortunate demise of three individuals.

Surprisingly, in precisely 42% of these cases, issues with the gallbladder appeared within the first three months after starting the medication treatment.

After receiving many adverse event reports on gallbladder diseases from Ozempic, the FDA ordered the manufacturers to include a warning in March 2022. The people who used the drug until then were in the dark of this detrimental side effect of the drug.

Recently in May 2023, the FDA has warned the consumers that it has received adverse event reports from people affected by the compound versions of Ozempic and Wegovy.

Weight Loss Drug Fatalities Hike in 2023

A report posted by The Daily Mail on April 9, 2024 revealed a shocking data on fatalities linked to weight loss drugs. It has found that around 117 people lost their lives in the US for aspiring to get a slim body. FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) had received these adverse events pertaining to weight loss drugs including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound. However, no direct connection between the drugs and fatalities are proved yet. Experts suspect these so-called magic drugs behind the deaths.

The active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, Semaglutide, was involved in around 81 cases, while tirzepatide, an active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound was linked to 36 deaths. The report also notes that the fatalities had increased in 2023 by a 230% as many people had fallen for the weight loss promise. A famous obesity specialist exclaims that the fatality rate is not that high when compared to the growing demand and prescriptions used by many people. The fatality rate may go up as the demand for weight loss drugs go sky-high despite the adverse side effects.

Among the deaths reported, around 54 were suspected to be caused by Ozempic. last year, an Australian mother died from an acute gastrointestinal issue after the use of Ozempic. She collapsed one day with a brown substance coming out of her mouth and succumbed to death. 

Does Novo Nordisk picture obesity, a disease?

This seems to be true. There’s a notion that pharma companies are creating diseases to promote the sales of their products. When we go through the below fact, it affirms this notion.

It is said that companies like Novo Nordisk hired physicians specialized in obesity medicine and paid almost $14 million in 2021 for education and training on the benefits of their drug on obesity.  

Natalia Salomao, Senior director of Novo Nordisk said in a statement- “Obesity is a chronic, progressive and misunderstood disease that requires long-term medical management.”

Novo Nordisk funds for educational programs on obesity for nurses- “Obesity: The Elephant in the Room.”

Recently, it came to light that Novo Nordisk has been covertly funding a training program that was, in fact, a promotional campaign which they knowingly sponsored in UK.

Pharma companies like Novo are known to be lobbying to get insurers or Medicare to include the weight loss medications under coverage.

Moreover, people who benefit from Ozempic for weight loss gain more weight once they stop. This makes it a necessity to use drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy life long to get the results people expect. In a way, this prolonged usage also risks people of the detrimental side effects we have seen earlier.

When we correlate all these facts, it is sure that the pharma lobby is telling most people that you are a patient of one or the other disease.

The Initiation of the Ozempic Lawsuit 2023

Is there a lawsuit against Ozempic? Of Course. As we have seen above, those people who took Ozempic, unaware of its gallbladder side effects before the label update on gallbladder issues are eligible to pursue Ozempic lawsuits.

• Have you used Ozempic before April 2022?
• Are you diagnosed with gallbladder stones or other gallbladder issues?
• Received treatment for gallbladder diseases after the intake of Ozempic?

If yes is your answer, you can better contact an experienced Ozempic gallbladder lawsuit attorney to discuss about your chances of a claim.

Attorneys across the U.S., are accepting Ozempic lawsuit gallbladder issues from the victims who received Ozempic injection.

The victims should have flawless medical records documenting the start of the Ozempic intake and development of gall bladder issues to initiate a lawsuit against Ozempic.

Is there a class action lawsuit against ozempic? Not yet on gall bladder issues. The possibility of an Ozempic class action lawsuit depends on the number people who come out with their adverse experiences and ready to pursue a class action lawsuit ozempic. The Ozempic side effects lawsuit is gaining momentum as more patients claim to have experienced severe complications after using the medication.

Is there any ozempic thyroid cancer lawsuit on the side effects of ozempic? So far, there is no lawsuit on ozempic thyroid cancer risk. Future may have more shocking revelations on the adverse ozempic injection side effects. Let’s wait and see.

Plaintiff Claims in the Ozempic Lawsuit 2024

Failure to Warn: Novo Nordisk failed to appropriately disclose any risks or negative effects that could arise from using the medication.

Negligence: The plaintiffs in these cases contend that Novo Nordisk breached its obligation to develop a safe product or failed to assure the safety of its manufacturing methods.

Design Defect: The plaintiffs assert that the design of the drug itself is inherently flawed or dangerous.

Marketing Misrepresentation: The Company misrepresented the benefits of the drug, or downplayed its risks, in its marketing materials or sales practices.

Fraud: The plaintiffs assert that the pharmaceutical corporation purposefully misled patients or the general public about the drug’s safety or effectiveness.

If you need the specifics about the Ozempic lawsuits 2023, it would be best to check recent news articles, court records, or statements from the legal representatives involved. We too will update whenever something significant occurs.

Damages Claimed in Ozempic Lawsuits

The damages claimed in an Ozempic gallbladder lawsuit include the following:

• Past and future medical expenses (including surgery)
• Past and future loss of income
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of social enjoyment
• Punitive damages

Latest Link Between Stomach Paralysis & Ozempic

Why is Ozempic being sued for other than the gallbladder issues? A new Ozempic controversy is attracting the attention of victims and lawyers on stomach paralysis. Jaclyn Bjorklund has initiated a class action lawsuit against elite weight loss drug producers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, asserting that their medications resulted in her stomach paralysis.

The adverse condition, occurs when the stomach muscles becomes weak after the inatke of the weight loss drugs. the drugs, in order to reduce hunger keeps the food for long in the stomach. This would later end up in the weakening of the muscles. plaintiff was deeply affected and she faced tragic loss of teeth and had frequent hospital stays.

Her case is more than an individual’s struggle; it symbolizes a broader concern, adding to an increasing number of voices claiming negative gastrointestinal issues. Filed on August 2, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, this case not only challenges the renowned pharmaceutical firms but also calls into question the overall safety and regulation of weight loss medications.

In September 2023, the FDA asked Novo Nordisk to add the gastroparesis risk in its label.

In a recent study published by JAMA  reveals that Ozempic elevates the risk of  gastroparesis, pancreatitis, and bowel obstruction in the users.

In their study, Mohit Sodhi and associates included 16 million patients between 2006 and 2020 using a random sample. The main allegations in the rising Ozempic lawsuits are that Ozempic was misused and improperly examined before its approval & marketing, and that appropriate cautions regarding its side effects were not given.

Ozempic is approved for the management of diabetes. Rather than what the FDA said the medication could do, a large portion of the Ozempic lawsuits focused on the marketing strategies that promote usage for weight reduction.

To know more about stomach paralysis and it’s adverse side effects, read our blog on Stomach Paralysis.

Ozempic Class Action Lawsuit

A propsosed class action lawsuit was filed in the Canadian province, British Columbia on October 6, 2023 by plaintiff Suzanne Talbot. The lawsuit alleges that Novo Nordisk failed to warn the Canadian customers of the adverse side effects of Ozempic including stomach paralysis. The plaintiff Suzanne Talbot experienced biliary system blockage due to the consumption of Ozempic. This proposed class action may prompt the users in the U.S to initiate one in the country too.

Ozempic Lawsuits Update January 2024

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) is expected to hold a hearing in January 2024, to determine whether to consolidate all Ozempic stomach paralysis lawsuits before one judge for discovery and pretrial proceedings.

Only a handful number of Ozempic lawsuits were filed so far in different U.S. District Courts. However, experts believe that as more than ten thousand victims have already contacted Ozempic lawsuit attorneys and investigations are going on to identify the prospect of these claims, there could be a boom in the Ozempic lawsuit filings in 2024.

February 2024 Update

As per the report of Reuters, on February 2, 2024 all the Ozempic lawsuits were consolidated into an MDL. This MDL 3094 In Re: Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RAS) Products Liability Litigation was organized under the judge Gene E. K. Pratter in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania federal court.

April 2024 Update

As of April 2024, there are 74 Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists cases still pending in MDL No. 3094. A new lawsuit was filed in Pennsylvania on March 26, 2024. Plaintiff Miquana Renteria started taking Ozempic for weight loss in 2022. she experienced chest pain, nausea, gastric pain and was diagnosed with gastritis in October 2022 and gall bladder inflammation in May 2023 and got it removed.

she demanded jury trial, compensatory and statutory damages, punitive damages, pre and post judgment interest and other reliefs.

Are the celebs risking their lives by taking Ozempic?

After going through this blog, you may have a question in your mind- are these celebrities using the drug without knowing the adverse side effects?

Some of them openly admitted that they used Ozempic knowingly or without their knowledge on the side effects of the drug.

The comedian Chelsea Handler admitted that she had used Ozempic without knowing that it was meant for Type-2 diabetic patients. She stopped it and worried about the people who still continue to use it for weight loss. Her “anti-aging doctor” gave her the drug. She added “Something bad is going to happen” by using the drug.

TikTok model Amy Bader stopped using the drug, but gained more than double the weight she had lost while using that.

Many others are suspected to be using the drug to maintain their slim figures. However, they have denied that.

Though they knew or not, if they create awareness against the adverse side effects of the drug, it can spread the word fast among the common public to be alert of the usage.

Ultimately, from what we have seen so far, we can understand that responsibility lies on every shoulder in belling the cat- like Ozempic.

The manufacturers should develop drugs that do not bring harmful effects on the people who use them. The physicians should ensure the benefits and side effects of the drug before prescribing them.

Celebrities can voice out against such kind of products with adverse side effects once they experience or come to know of it. It can create awareness among the public.

Once everything fails, it is in the hands of judicial system and Ozempic gallbladder lawyers to fight for justice on behalf of the victims and put an end to harmful drug manufacturing and sales.

To know more about the course of Ozempic lawsuits 2024 updates, keep in touch with Medlegal360.

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