Novo Nordisk hit with a surge of Ozempic ‘paralyzed stomach’ lawsuits
In the latest lawsuit, an Idaho woman, who was hospitalized and had to have her gallbladder removed, alleges that the drug manufacturer was negligent and fraudulently misrepresented the drug's gastrointestinal issues.
An Idaho woman’s lawsuit against Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk, filed Tuesday in federal court, claims the pharmaceutical company was negligent and failed to warn consumers of the medication’s severe gastrointestinal side effects.
This week’s suit is also part of an emerging trend as Novo Nordisk was swarmed with product liability lawsuits last month over Ozempic and Rybelsus, its Type 2 diabetes medications that also have been popular for weight loss.
Bonneville County, Idaho, resident Sandra Linney, 59, regularly took Ozempic for more than a year before ceasing its use in March 2023. Linney claims Novo Nordisk “downplayed” the severity of gastrointestinal and digestive issues the medication allegedly causes. Linney was hospitalized with extreme vomiting and severe abdominal pain and said her gallbladder had to be removed as a result of using it, the complaint said.
Linney’s complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, asserts Novo Nordisk had a duty to inform prescribing physicians of the increased likelihood of gastrointestinal complications. The company’s promotional website also does not disclose information about the pharmaceutical drug’s risks associated with severe gastrointestinal events, the complaint said.
Linney is seeking compensatory damages for the pain and suffering for her personal injury sustained from her Ozempic use and punitive damages against Novo Nordisk for displaying indifference for the welfare and safety of the general public.
At least 25 federal lawsuits were filed last month. The suits are part of a wave of cases similar to Linney’s claim, with allegations that GLP-1 drugs cause gastrointestinal problems and that Novo Nordisk downplayed these serious side effects. Last month’s filings against Novo Nordisk were in federal courts for Iowa, New York, Louisiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Mississippi. The first suit against the company was filed in August 2023.
Eli Lilly was hit with a similar surge last month over the GLP-1 drugs it produces, medications known as Mounjaro and Trulicity.
Related: Ozempic and Wegovy: To cover or not to cover? That is the question
Gastroparesis, a condition resulting in a “paralyzed stomach,” gastroenteritis and gallbladder removal surgery are common complications associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of pharmaceutical drugs Ozempic belongs to, along with other semaglutide drugs, such as Wegovy. Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the stomach and intestines and includes symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and muscle aches.
Ozempic and similar products lower blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin production and reducing glucose production in the liver. It is commonly used to control blood sugar in adults with Type 2 diabetes.