Recently, people around the world began taking the diabetes drug Ozempic to lose weight quickly, and while the product seemed to work, they’re now realizing that it could cause serious health problems.
Dozens of lawsuits have been filed, and thousands more are likely on the way, against the creator of Ozempic and Wegovy, Novo Nordisk, for not adequately warning customers of the potential side effects.
Novo Nordisk’s Potentially Dangerous Drugs
It’s first important to understand that the two drugs in question, Ozempic and Wegovy, were made by the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk as a treatment for diabetes.
However, when they realized that these drugs could also assist in weight loss, doctors began prescribing them for their overweight and obese patients.
Eli Lilly’s Drug Mounjaro Is Almost Identical
Another company, Eli Lilly, released the drug Mounjaro around the same time. It is essentially identical to Wegovy and Ozempic in that it was made for patients with diabetes but also helps people lose weight.
And just like Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly is now facing at least ten lawsuits for their lack of transparency when it came to harmful side effects.
How Do These Drugs Work?
Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic all work in the same way: They mimic naturally occurring hormones that tell the brain that the belly is full, even when there is no food present.
Additionally, they slow down digestion and increase the time it normally takes for food to exit the body. So, people who took these drugs were seeing extreme weight loss as promised, but they also started experiencing other outcomes as well.
Many Users Starting Suffering From Gastroparesis
The majority of people who experienced negative side effects from the drugs contracted some form of gastroparesis.
Gastroparesis is paralysis of the stomach, and symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, and extreme stomach pain.
One Woman Was Admitted to the ICU
Brea Hand, a 23-year-old mother-of-two, started experiencing nausea and constipation within weeks of starting Ozempic. After several visits to the hospital, they finally diagnosed Hand with gastroparesis as well as diabetic ketoacidosis and immediately admitted her to the intensive care unit.
Hand is one of the many people filing a lawsuit, and in a recent statement she said, “I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody, personally. Just taking that risk would be too much for me from what I went through. I think they should definitely advertise more of the risks it does have.”
Another Was Hospitalized for Weeks
Zakareeya Gregory has also filed a claim against Ozempic, as after taking the medication, she had to spend four weeks in the hospital.
And sadly, Gregory even had to have her gallbladder removed, and her doctors told her that the Ozempic was certainly to blame.
Several Customers Have Had to Undergo Invasive and Dangerous Surgeries
Doctors of an unnamed woman who is also suing Ozempic said that the drug not only led to a life-threatening bowel injury which required surgery, but also a life-long condition: She will have diarrhea and be in pain when going to the bathroom for the rest of her life.
And these women are just a few examples. There have been more than 40 cases filed in the USA already, and the majority of the plaintiffs have undergone invasive surgeries allegedly thanks to these harmful drugs.
Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy Were All Approved by the FDA
It’s important to note that Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic were all approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).
Therefore, doctors around the country were confidently prescribing the drugs for diabetes and weight loss, believing that they were not only helpful, but also safe to use.
Celebrities Were Publicly Endorsing the Drugs
These drugs, specifically Ozempic, became incredibly popular very quickly. Doctors were prescribing them, but patients were also asking for them by name.
And that’s because several celebrities such as Sharon Obourne and Elon Musk spoke out publicly about how much the drugs had helped them lose stubborn weight.
Attorney Cameron Stephenson Is Already Representing 100 Clients
Cameron Stepherson is an attorney at Levin Papantonio Rafferty, and he recently told the press that he is already representing 100 clients in their cases against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly.
Stepherson said in his statement, “The point is that if these drugs carry with them a potentially permanent side effect or a side effect that can have extreme effects on someone’s health and their life… you have to put that in the warning label.”
More Lawsuits Are on the Way for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly
The attorney also said, “There’s no doubt in my mind that there are going to be [thousands] of cases that will be filed in the MDL over time,” and that there may even be tens of thousands of plaintiffs eventually.
Stephenson is certainly not the only attorney taking on these cases, but he does plan to combine his existing suits into a multi-district litigation. And while both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have claimed they will “vigorously defend against these claims,” it’s likely the two giant pharma companies will be in trouble.
