Class action lawsuits moving ahead for Ozempic-type weight loss drugs

Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy are drawing a growing number of lawsuits, as patients accuse the drug manufacturers of ignoring possible side effects. The drugs are linked to a range of issues, from gastrointestinal issues to personality disorders to a condition called “Ozempic face.

According to one analysis, there are now close to 90 cases that have joined a class action lawsuit. The Lawsuit Information Center with Miller and Zois, LLC, noted that the cases hit a bump in the road in April, as lawyers clashed over who should be in the lead for the plaintiffs.

“The plaintiffs and defendants are represented by multiple law firms, indicating a complex litigation involving numerous parties,” the website said. “The case involves allegations against GLP-1 receptor agonist medications, with claims surrounding issues like inadequate warning, design defects, and various other legal claims.”

According to USA Today, more than five dozen lawsuits have been filed against the makers of weight loss drugs. The manufacturers being sued are Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, which both manufacture and market weight-loss drugs in this class.

In addition to Ozempic, the drugs involved include Rybelsus, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, all from the GLP-1 class of drugs.

A range of ailments

Many of the lawsuits come from patients who have suffered serious gastrointestinal issues after taking these drugs. These include gastroparesis and gastric obstruction and can result in vomiting, nausea, weight loss, pain, and other symptoms.

In other countries, regulators have looked whether this class of drugs can trigger suicidal ideation. In the U.S., the FDA has said there was a potential safety issue with this area but has not confirmed a causal relationship between such drugs and suicidal ideation. In one recent study, the National Institutes of Health found that semaglutide, an ingredient of Ozempic and Wegovy, is not linked to suicidal thoughts.

Other side effects being discussed with the class of drugs include “Ozempic face,” described as a gauntness or sagging jowls in people who have lost a lot of weight. But experts note that the condition is probably not linked directly to the drug, but to the natural effect of losing weight quickly.

Pushback from manufacturers

The manufacturers have signaled that they will fight the lawsuits. In a statement earlier this year, Novo said “The known risks associated with use of those medicines are reflected in their current FDA-approved product labeling. Novo Nordisk stands behind the safety and efficacy of all of our GLP-1RA medicines when they are used as indicated and when they are taken under the care of a licensed health care professional.”

Some critics of the drug makers also question the amount spent in promoting the drugs with physicians. Miller and Zois’s website noted that Novo Nordisk allocated $11 million towards paying for meals and travel for physicians as the drug company sought to market and educate providers about weight-loss drugs.

Related: $1,000-a-month Ozempic, new weight loss drug, costs $5 to manufacture: Yale study

Miller and Zois also pointed to criticism from the Alliance of Community Health Plans, a group associated with nonprofit health plans. In the ACHP’s Health Care Blog, an editorial called for a more measured approach to weight loss.

“Amidst the excitement over patients rapidly shedding up to 15% of their body mass, fundamental questions remain about who should be taking GLP-1s, at what dosages and what the long-term health and economic consequences will be for patients and society. Ultimately, the price paid to people’s long-term health may be more concerning than the price paid out-of-pocket.

“With so many unknowns about GLP-1s, a cautious approach is needed with continued focus on the evidence-based strategies that tackle root causes of obesity, including nutrition and socioeconomic factor.”