Ozempic Lawsuit – Blindness & Bowel Obstructions

Ozempic and similar drugs such as Wegovy, Mounjaro, Rybelsus, and Byetta have recently soared in popularity after being heavily marketed as safe weight-loss drugs. It is estimated that over 10% of the United States population has tried an Ozempic-like drug, and over 5% are believed to be currently taking an Ozempic-like drug. In September of 2023, the FDA announced that it would be adding a warning to the label of Ozempic for the risk of intestinal blockage or ileus as a result of using Ozempic. Since the Ozempic label change, numerous Ozempic lawsuits have been filed alleging that the drug resulted in bowel obstructions, bowel blockage, gastroparesis, GI disease, and many more injuries. Recently, Ozempic and Wegovy were linked to causing a rare form of blindness! Our Ozempic attorneys expect many additional severe Ozempic side effects to be uncovered in the coming months and years.

In early 2024, MDL 3094 was created to consolidate all of the Ozempic lawsuits into a single court due to the number of Ozempic lawsuits on file around the country. MDL 3094 is expected to rapidly increase in size due to the large number of people nationwide who are taking Ozempic or a similar drug. For a free Ozempic case evaluation, call 202-792-7927.

Ozempic Lawsuit MDL 3094 Updates

July 2024 – Ozempic Linked to Blindness

On July 3, 2024, a study was published that found a higher risk of becoming blind in people who took Ozempic or Wegovy. The study found that Ozempic use was associated with a specific type of blindness known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). NAION is a very rare form of blindness, estimated to only impact 1 in 10,000 people in the general population. However, doctors at Mass Eye & Ear saw three patients in a single week who were taking Ozempic-like drugs and were diagnosed with NAION, which is a painless vision loss in one eye. Furthermore, blindness due to NAION has a sudden onset, as it is caused by a stroke in the eye. NAION is the second-leading cause of optic nerve blindness after galucoma. With the large number of Americans now on Ozempic-like drugs, there is concern that the rates of blindness could drastically increase over the coming years.

Based on six years of data, it is estimated that the risk of going blind and being diagnosed with NAION increases four times for Ozempic users who are diabetic. For Ozempic users who are overweight but not diabetic, the risk of blindness due to NAION increased seven times!

Ozempic-caused blindness typically occurs within the first year of starting Ozempic. Many of our clients have reported suddenly losing vision in one eye within weeks of first starting Ozempic. 

The labels for both Wegovy and Ozempic include a warning regarding vision changes, but there is no warning for blindness or NAION. The FDA is still reviewing data regarding Ozempic causing blindness before it requires any changes to the Ozempic warning label. Based on their research and the large number of people calling NGRV and reporting Blindness after starting Ozempic, our Ozempic attorneys believe that thousands of people have experienced blindness due to Ozempic use. 

June 2024 – New Judge Appointed to Ozempic Lawsuits

Following the first status conference on the Ozempic gastrointestinal lawsuits with Judge Marston on June 10, 2024, the Court entered case management order #8, amending the prior Pro Hac Vice order entered via CMO 2. Pro hac vice request going forward shall be deemed granted for MDL 3094 if the Ozempic lawyer files a notice of appearance with an affidavit affirming some basic information. 

On June 6, 2024, the Court entered Ozempic case management order #7, ordering the Ozempic lawyers to appear for a status conference on June 10, 2024, in front of the Honorable Karen Spencer Marston, who will now be presiding over the Ozempic lawsuits filed in MDL 3094. Judge Marston was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate in 2019.  MDL 3094 is the first multi-district litigation that Judge Marston has presided over. 

May 2024 – Judge Over Ozempic Lawsuits Dies

On Friday, May 17, 2024, Gene E.K. Pratter, the judge overseeing the Ozempic lawsuits, died at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Besides being a U.S. District Court judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the presiding judge over MDL 3094, Judge Pratter was previously an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School, and a longtime lawyer at the defense firm Duane Morris, which regularly defends pharmaceutical companies. Judge Pratter was also one of a handful of judges who helped craft the 2023 amendment to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Judge Pratter understood the importance of the legal system to a functioning society, as she was previously quoted saying, “I would say the most important part of being a federal judge is to promote and preserve the individual’s belief in a fair judicial system… If society doesn’t believe courts are incorruptible and uncorrupted, you can’t have an orderly society.” Judge Pratter will be missed. 

February 2024 – Ozempic MDL 3094 Created

The Court entered a Pro Hac Vice order via case management order #2 on February 16, 2024. This order allows attorneys from around the nation to file Ozempic lawsuits into MDL 3094 without having a law license in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Unlike many Pro Hac orders, CMO 2 noted “before the appearance of any attorney will be permitted in this case, compliance with Judge Pratter’s pro hac vice form (as opposed to the pro hac vice form used by this District’s Clerk of Clerk, which is considered to be insufficient for this litigation) must be filed in full to Judge Pratter for review and action.”

Just two weeks after the formation of MDL 3094, the Court entered its first case management order on February 15, 2024. The Ozempic order scheduled the first in-court conference to be held on Thursday, March 14, 2024. The Court noted it planned to discuss which Ozempic attorneys would be on leadership, the frequency of status conferences, if a “Science Day” would be useful, and the local court rules.

On February 2, 2024, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) consolidated all Ozempic lawsuits into the Eastern District of Pennsylvania via a transfer order, creating MDL 3094 – In Re: Glugagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RAS) Products Liability Litigation. The JPML decided to consolidate all lawsuits alleging gastrointestinal injuries involving GLP-1 Receptor Agonists drugs into MDL 3094, this includes Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Trulicity, and Mounjaro. The JPML noted that regardless of if the lawsuit is against Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, Trulicity, or Mounjaro, “all actions share common issues of fact regarding whether defendants knew or should have known that their GLP-1 RA products can cause gastroparesis and other gastrointestinal injuries, whether defendants adequately warned plaintiffs or their prescribing physicians about the alleged dangers of these products, and whether defendants made false, misleading, or incomplete representations regarding the safety of these products. The JPML even recognized that, “undoubtedly, there will be significant differences between the claims against each defendant. But a complete identity or even a majority of common factual or legal issues is not a prerequisite to transfer under Section 1407.” Furthermore, the JPML cited to In re Invokana and conceded that “we are wary of centralizing litigation on an industry-wide basis”, but ultimately concluded, “here though, we are not convinced that alternatives to centralization – such as informal cooperation between parties and coordination among the involved courts – are preferable to centralization of the actions containing claims against Eli Lilly.”

In deciding to consolidate the Ozempic gastrointestinal lawsuits in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the JPML noted that 13 of the 55 lawsuits were on file in that district, the most of any district court in the United States. Furthermore, defendant Novo Nordisk Inc.’s headquarters are nearby in Plainfield, New Jersey, where many witnesses and documents related to the sales and marketing of Ozempic will be located. The JPML also commented that the Eastern District of Pennsylvania would be a “convenient and accessible location for this nationwide litigation.” The JPML assigned MDL 3094 to the Honorable Gene E. K. Pratter, who they noted to be “an experienced MDL jurist who we are confident will steer this litigation on a prudent and expeditious course.” The JPML recognized that there would likely be thousands of Ozempic lawsuits on file in the coming years and even noted that some estimate that approximately 2% of the U.S. population has been prescribed an Ozempic-like drug.

Ozempic Side Effects Uncovered

The dedicated pharmaceutical law attorneys at Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn are extending their experience advocating for those injured by harmful medications to those injured by Ozempic. The following adverse events have been discovered to be associated with Ozempic use even though they were not warned about on the Ozempic label:

• Blindness / Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION) : A rare type of blindness caused by impaired blood circulation to the front of the optic nerve. Onset is sudden, painless, and in one eye. However, continued Ozempic use could result in blindness of both eyes. There are no medications that successfully treat NAOIN. 
• Intestinal Obstruction (Ileus): A potentially life-threatening condition where the intestine is blocked, inhibiting the passage of foods and fluids. This type of bowel obstruction is non-mechanical and does not typically require surgical intervention.
• Gastroparesis: A condition where the stomach does not empty food fast enough, leading to nausea and vomiting.

The team at Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn is diligently working to secure compensation for those who have experienced blindness or a bowel obstruction related to their Ozempic use. If you or a loved one has experienced any of the above-mentioned complications, please contact us today. Our Ozempic lawyers believe that many more severe side effects related to Ozempic use will be uncovered in the coming years as more data becomes available. 

Ozempic Attorney

The attorneys at Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn are experienced against multinational pharmaceutical companies and are ready to represent you in an Ozempic lawsuit. The makers of Ozempic hid the dangers of the drug from the public, while simultaneously marketing Ozempic as a miracle drug. Drug manufacturers have a duty to warn of side effects associated with their medications. 

Patients who have experienced gastroparesis or other serious injuries after taking Ozempic have the right to seek compensation for their injuries.

If you or a loved one has suffered from these injuries, we encourage you to contact us for a free consultation. Our skilled team is ready to listen to your story, evaluate your case, and discuss the best course of action moving forward. Remember, you are not alone in this fight, and with our help, we can seek justice together.

If you are interested in pursuing an Ozempic claim today, contact Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn. There are no upfront fees. Call us at (202) 792-2927 or fill out the form below for a free consultation.