OZEMPIC CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT

Nationwide Representation from Levy Konigsberg

Have you taken the Ozempic or a similar weight loss drug and suffered stomach paralysis, hospitalization or other serious injuries? Your injury or illness could have been caused by Ozempic, according to emerging medical research. Specifically, research suggests these weight loss drugs and others can cause stomach paralysis and other gastrointestinal issues, some of which could be life-threatening to some patients.

Please call Levy Konisgberg if you or a loved one suffered stomach paralysis or was hospitalized while taking or shortly after taking and of these weight loss drugs:

• Ozempic
• Wegovy
• Rybelsus
• Saxenda
• Mounjaro

Levy Konigsberg is a team of national litigation attorneys that has been fighting for the wrongfully injured since 1985. We focus our efforts on complex and high-stakes cases that most other law firms might not be prepared to handle, such as those involving dangerous pharmaceuticals like Ozempic and other weigh loss drugs of the class medications known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 agonists). If you or a loved one were injured after taking a weight loss drug, then please reach out to our Ozempic injury attorneys now to learn how we can help.

What is Ozempic and Similar Weight Loss Drugs?

Ozempic is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which mimic the hormone GLP-1 naturally produced in the body. Other similar drugs are: Wegovy, Rybelsus, Saxenda, and Mounjaro. These drugs use the active ingredient semaglutide and were originally designed to treat type 2 diabetes. With continued research, it was discovered that the drug could slow food movement through the stomach and reduce appetite, so it was then marketed as a weight loss drug.

FDA Information About GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Ozempic is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist that increases insulin production to reduce glucose levels in the liver, which makes it useful for people with type 2 diabetes. Semaglutide, the main chemical compound in GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, can interact with the brain in higher doses, dulling appetite signals and producing a feeling of fullness after smaller meals.

The FDA has approved four GLP-1 drugs to date:

• Ozempic injections have been approved to lower blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. They are also approved to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart disease as comorbid conditions.
• Rybelsus tablets have been approved for lowering blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus, including adults who also have heart disease, just like Ozempic injections.
• Wegovy injections are approved to treat adults and children aged 12 years or older who are obese. Wegovy contains a higher dose of semaglutide than Ozempic and was first approved for weight loss by the FDA in 2021.
• Saxenda injections are approved GLP-1 medications that deliver liraglutide as the active compound. Liraglutide was approved in 2010 as an adjunct therapy to diet and exercise for the management of type 2 diabetes, which is not one of its current uses. It has been sold under the names Victoza, Saxenda, and others. In 2017, it was approved as a weight loss medication for people with a BMI of 30 or higher or a BMI of 27 or higher with a comorbid metabolic health condition.
• Mounjaro injections are designed to be administered once a week, unlike Saxenda which is a daily injection.

Injuries Caused by Ozempic and Other GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs

A growing number of reports indicate that Ozempic use—including use that follows a prescription exactly—can result in serious stomach injuries, vision damage, and other health problems.

Serious injuries caused by Ozempic use can include:

• Stomach paralysis
• Hospitalization due to severe complications
• Cyclic vomiting syndrome
• Sharp and persistent stomach pain
• Frequent vomiting and nausea
• Blindness
• Loss of vision
• Dark areas in visual field
• Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy “NAION”

To make matters more frustrating for injured GLP-1 medication users, some manufacturers made no attempt to warn patients of these side effects. Novo Nordisk, which manufactures Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, and Saxenda, did not offer any warnings to patients. Eli Lilly manufactures Mounjaro and also did not issue warnings or recalls, even though it should have been clear through adequate pharmaceutical research that the drugs could cause these unsafe side effects.

Suicidal Ideation Linked to Ozempic

Concerns about unsafe side effects of Ozempic are not limited to the USA’s borders. Medical researchers in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe are looking into the increased risk of suicidal ideation among Ozempic users. Some users have reported that they suddenly felt deeply depressed and suicidal after taking Ozempic for several weeks or months when they previously were in a healthy mental state with no need for therapy. The FDA has stated that there is no clear evidence between Ozempic use and a higher risk of suicidal ideation, but as mentioned, it is prominent enough for medical researchers in other countries to take a closer look.

Please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8225 if you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis or suicidal ideation. Resources are available to help you.

Possible Anesthesia Reactions to Ozempic

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) has recently expressed concern over Ozempic use and potential reactions to anesthesia. GLP-1 receptor agonists are designed to slow or interrupt the body’s ability to process food, which includes moving it through the stomach and digestive tract. The anesthesiologists in this group are worried that a delay in the stomach’s emptying cycle could increase the risk of regurgitation and aspiration during procedures that require the patient to be rendered unconscious using anesthesia, such as many forms of surgery.

Did you undergo surgery and have a dangerous regurgitation complication? Are you also on a weight loss drug like Ozempic? Please let our attorneys know right away by calling (800) 315-3806. The information that you can provide might be important to the ASA’s research into Ozempic and anesthesia reactions, as well as for an injury claim that you can file.

Lawsuits Against Ozempic, Mounjaro and Others

Legal action has already begun against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, the makers of Ozempic and Mounjaro, respectively, for failing to disclose the stomach paralysis risks caused by these weight loss drugs. Courts have begun to accept lawsuits filed by people across the country, all of which claim the manufacturers should be held strictly liable for the undisclosed dangers of their pharmaceutical products. Do not miss your opportunity to join these plaintiffs by beginning similar legal action, too.

What to Do If Ozempic or Similar Weight Loss Drugs Caused Your Injury or Illness?

If you took Ozempic or another weight loss drug and suffered stomach paralysis, hospitalization or other stomach-related injuries, you should:

1. Get immediate medical attention if you are suffering from ongoing or painful side effects like chronic stomach pain.
2. Talk to your doctor about your prescription to see if you should stop taking it or begin using an alternative.
3. Request copies of your medical records from your medical provider, which will be useful when building your Ozempic injury claim later.
4. Contact Levy Konigsberg to tell our Ozempic injury attorneys about what happened.

What are the 3 Types of Drug-Related Product Liability Claims?

• Drugs that were manufactured incorrectly. Usually, these claims arise when the drug has been improperly manufactured or contaminated during production. There could be a variety of causes of this, including incorrect labeling on the bottle, adding the wrong ingredient to the pill during manufacturing, or something going wrong during the shipping process.
• Medications that have dangerous side effects. Claims for serious injury or illness may be filed when a drug has caused serious side effects. In many cases, a victim claims that the company knew about the side effects and failed to disclose them properly. Many of these cases involve long-established drugs. As time passes, it may become apparent that the drug has serious side effects.
• Falsely marketed pharmaceutical drugs. Those who have been harmed by a bad drug may file a claim if they believe that the pharmaceutical company failed to provide accurate directions or adequate warnings about how the drug should be used. This can range from not disclosing information about side effects to embellishing what the drug can do. It is often referred to as a “bad advice” claim, meaning that the drug manufacturer, the pharmacist, or even the doctor failed to provide proper instructions regarding the use of the drug.

Why Choose Levy Konigsberg for Your Pharmaceutical Liability Case?

Pharmaceutical law firm Levy Konigsberg LLP has won complex litigation verdicts with large settlements. Our team is innovative and aggressive. We offer experienced representation for medical drug & device victims and their families. Here are a few reasons to choose our experienced pharmaceutical lawyers:

Our dangerous drug law firm and practice is national in scope, with offices located in New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Washington, and Maryland. Levy Konigsberg LLP is currently accepting dangerous drug and device injury cases in all 50 states.

The firm’s track record and performance has earned Levy Konigsberg numerous awards. 

• In 2013, the firm was named the Plaintiff Product Liability Law Firm of the Year by U.S. News & World Report. 
• In 2015, the firm was one of only fifty firms in the United States to be named to the “Elite Trial Lawyer” list by The National Law Journal.

Many of the firm’s lawyers have been individually recognized on the list of “Best Lawyers in America” and “SuperLawyers.” The firm’s lawyers combine a dedication to learning the relevant science with litigation and trial skills built by years of experience. The firm’s staff is compassionate and strives to meet all of the firms’ clients’ individual needs.