Millions of Americans have turned to Ozempic and Wegovy for diabetes management and weight loss, but growing evidence suggests these popular GLP-1 receptor agonist medications may cause severe gastrointestinal injuries that manufacturers allegedly failed to adequately disclose. Patients who have suffered serious complications are now pursuing legal action against the pharmaceutical companies responsible for these drugs.
Understanding GLP-1 Medications and How They Work
GLP-1 receptor agonists mimic a naturally occurring hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1, which regulates blood sugar levels and appetite. Ozempic and Wegovy both contain the active ingredient semaglutide, manufactured by Novo Nordisk. While Ozempic received FDA approval specifically for Type 2 diabetes treatment, Wegovy was approved for chronic weight management. Other medications in this class include Mounjaro and Trulicity, manufactured by Eli Lilly.
These medications work by significantly slowing gastric emptying—the rate at which food leaves the stomach and moves through the digestive system. While this mechanism contributes to blood sugar control and reduced appetite, it may also be responsible for the severe gastrointestinal complications that form the basis of current litigation.
Serious Side Effects Alleged in Current Lawsuits
The most concerning complication linked to GLP-1 drugs is gastroparesis, sometimes called stomach paralysis. This condition occurs when the stomach loses its ability to empty properly, causing severe nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and malnutrition. What makes gastroparesis particularly alarming in the context of GLP-1 litigation is that many patients report symptoms continuing for months after discontinuing the medication, suggesting potentially permanent damage.
Bowel obstruction represents another serious complication allegedly caused by these medications. When intestinal movement slows dramatically, dangerous blockages can develop that may require emergency surgical intervention. Patients have reported severe abdominal pain, inability to pass stool, and life-threatening complications requiring hospitalization.
Additional severe side effects forming the basis of lawsuits include pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas causing intense pain and potentially life-threatening complications, and gallbladder disease, including gallstones and cholecystitis that may necessitate surgical removal of the gallbladder.
The Legal Basis for GLP-1 Lawsuits
Plaintiffs in Ozempic and Wegovy lawsuits primarily allege that Novo Nordisk and other manufacturers knew or should have known about severe gastrointestinal risks but failed to provide adequate warnings to doctors and patients. The original drug labeling allegedly minimized these dangers, particularly the risk of gastroparesis and the possibility that symptoms could persist long after stopping the medication.
Supporting these claims, the FDA required updated warning labels in 2023 that added intestinal obstruction to the list of risks and enhanced gastroparesis warnings. Plaintiffs argue these label changes demonstrate that earlier warnings were inadequate and that the companies possessed safety information they failed to disclose.
An additional dimension of the litigation involves off-label prescribing for weight loss. While Ozempic is approved only for diabetes, widespread prescribing for weight loss occurred, allegedly encouraged by manufacturer marketing practices. Lawsuits contend that patients using these drugs solely for weight loss face a different risk-benefit calculation and may not have received adequate informed consent.
Current Status of GLP-1 Litigation
Federal GLP-1 cases have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation for coordinated pretrial proceedings, allowing efficient handling of discovery and common legal issues across hundreds of individual claims. This consolidation typically precedes bellwether trials that help establish case values and may lead to global settlement negotiations.
Patients who have suffered gastroparesis, bowel obstruction, pancreatitis, or other serious gastrointestinal injuries after taking Ozempic, Wegovy, or similar medications may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and permanent injury damages. Those who believe they were harmed should preserve all prescription records and medical documentation while consulting with an attorney experienced in pharmaceutical litigation.