Dolman Law Group is investigating potential lawsuits against the manufacturers of Ozempic, originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes but increasingly being used off-label for weight loss.
Patients who have taken these medications and suffered serious complications like excessive vomiting, stomach pain, and gastroparesis are now seeking legal action to hold the drug makers accountable. They allege that the manufacturers failed to adequately warn of these risks while aggressively promoting the drugs for off-label weight loss use. If you or a loved one have experienced these complications, contact an Ozempic Stomach Paralysis Lawsuit Attorney to explore your legal options and seek compensation.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic was first approved by the FDA in 2017 for treating type 2 diabetes in adults. It is administered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection. In 2020, the FDA approved an additional indication for Ozempic to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease.
How Ozempic Works
These drugs work by mimicking the effects of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) hormone in the body. GLP-1 is an incretin hormone that is naturally released by the intestine in response to food intake. It stimulates insulin production, suppresses appetite, slows gastric emptying, and slows glucose release as food remains in the stomach longer.
Ozempic and similar drugs activate GLP-1 receptors, which can help improve blood sugar control, reduce appetite, and promote weight loss. The medication slows down the rate at which food leaves the stomach, helping patients feel full longer after eating. It also acts on the brain to reduce hunger and cravings.
Potential Side Effects and Risks Associated with Ozempic
While Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonists can be effective in treating diabetes and promoting weight loss, they come with a risk of side effects, some of which can be very serious. The most common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation. These gastrointestinal issues are often mild and go away over time as the body adjusts to the medication.
However, in some patients, the drugs appear to excessively slow down the contractions and movement of the stomach muscles, leading to a condition called gastroparesis. With gastroparesis, the stomach's ability to empty properly is impaired. Food remains in the stomach for an extended time, leading to symptoms like bloating, heartburn, acid reflux, loss of appetite, and feeling full very quickly when eating.
In severe cases, gastroparesis can cause chronic nausea and vomiting, stomach pain, unintentional weight loss, and malnutrition. Gastroparesis can also be debilitating and may require hospitalization, feeding tubes, and other interventions. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications.
Despite the risk of this serious complication, the makers of Ozempic and similar drugs do not adequately disclose the potential for gastroparesis in their prescribing information and medication guides. While they mention some gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and vomiting, they downplay the severity and omit gastroparesis from the warnings. This may lead patients and doctors to underestimate the risks.
Manufacturer's Response and Continued Marketing
Novo Nordisk maintains that gastrointestinal side effects are a known class effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists and that these side effects are generally mild and transient. They point out that the prescribing information for Ozempic and Wegovy mentions that the drugs may slow gastric emptying. However, critics argue that this warning is insufficient and does not convey the potential severity or duration of gastroparesis symptoms that some patients experience.
Despite the concerns about gastroparesis and other serious side effects, Novo Nordisk and other makers of GLP-1 agonists have continued to heavily promote the use of these drugs for weight loss, in addition to their approved use for diabetes.
Celebrity endorsements, social media influencer campaigns, and direct-to-consumer advertising have contributed to a surge in demand for Ozempic and similar drugs for off-label weight loss use. This has led to shortages of the drugs, with some patients struggling to access them for their intended use in diabetes management.
Critics argue that the drugmakers have prioritized profits over patient safety by downplaying the risks and aggressively promoting off-label use for weight loss. They accuse companies like Novo Nordisk of exploiting the growing obesity epidemic and weight loss market while failing to adequately warn patients about the potential for serious complications like gastroparesis.
Key Facts About Ozempic Lawsuits
- Ozempic (semaglutide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist drug, originally developed and FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes. It is made by Novo Nordisk.
- Similar GLP-1 drugs include Wegovy (semaglutide at a higher dose, specifically for weight loss) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide), made by Eli Lilly.
- These drugs work by stimulating insulin production, suppressing appetite, slowing gastric emptying, and slowing glucose release as food remains in the stomach longer.
- While effective for blood sugar control and weight loss, Ozempic and similar drugs appear to sometimes excessively slow down or even paralyze the stomach muscles, causing a condition called gastroparesis.
- Symptoms of gastroparesis include severe nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, stomach pain and bloating, early fullness when eating, and unintended weight loss. It can lead to serious complications and hospitalization.
- Studies suggest these drugs can cause gastroparesis in some patients, as well as exacerbate existing gastroparesis. However, the manufacturers do not explicitly warn about this risk.
- Despite the growing evidence of this severe side effect, manufacturers like Novo Nordisk continue to heavily market the drugs for off-label weight loss and downplay the risk of serious complications.
Potential Legal Claims and Damages
Patients who have suffered serious gastrointestinal injuries like gastroparesis after taking Ozempic or related drugs may be able to pursue a range of legal claims against drugmakers, distributors, and prescribing healthcare providers. Potential causes of action may include:
- Failure to warn: Plaintiffs may allege that the drug companies failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about the risk of gastroparesis and other serious gastrointestinal side effects associated with their products. They may argue that the warnings provided were insufficient, misleading, or buried in the fine print of prescribing information.
- Design defect: Plaintiffs may argue that the drugs were defectively designed and that the risks of serious side effects outweighed any potential benefits. They may claim that safer alternative designs were available and that the drugmakers failed to properly test and study the long-term effects of their products before bringing them to market.
- Negligence: Plaintiffs may allege that the drug companies and other defendants breached their duty of care to patients by failing to properly manufacture, test, label, and distribute their products. They may claim that the defendants knew or should have known about the risks of gastroparesis but failed to take appropriate steps to warn patients or mitigate the risks.
- Breach of warranty: Plaintiffs may argue that the drugmakers breached express or implied warranties about the safety and effectiveness of their products. They may claim that they relied on these warranties when deciding to take the drugs and that they suffered harm as a result.
- Consumer protection violations: Plaintiffs may allege that the drugmakers engaged in unfair or deceptive marketing practices by ov
What to Do if You've Been Affected By Ozempic
If you or a loved one has taken Ozempic and suffered serious gastrointestinal side effects like gastroparesis, you may be entitled to pursue a legal compensation claim. The first step is to speak with an experienced product liability attorney who can review your case and advise you of your legal options.
At Dolman Law Group, we are a personal injury law firm that is actively investigating potential Ozempic lawsuits on behalf of patients who have been harmed by these drugs. Our attorneys have extensive experience litigating complex pharmaceutical cases and fighting for the rights of injured consumers.
If you believe you have a case, it’s important to act quickly, as there are strict deadlines for filing product liability lawsuits known as statutes of limitations. If you wait too long for legal action, you may be barred from recovering compensation for your injuries and losses.
During an initial consultation with a Dolman Law Group attorney, you can expect to discuss your medical history, your experience taking Ozempic or related drugs, and the symptoms and complications you have suffered. The attorney will ask you questions to gather important details and explain the legal process and what you can expect if you decide to proceed with a lawsuit.