Wegovy Lawsuit

People are taking legal action and filing Wegovy lawsuits after experiencing serious and unexpected side effects that they believe were caused by the drug. In these lawsuits, people allege that Wegovy was heavily marketed as a safe product without sufficient warning of potential side effects the manufacturer knew or should have known about.

Motley Rice has been at the forefront of this litigation, having filed the first Wegovy lawsuit in the country alleging severe health problems caused by the drug. For example, in September 2023, a Pennsylvania woman represented by Motley Rice filed a lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk.

The lawsuit details our client’s hospitalization for gastroparesis after taking Wegovy. This lawsuit addresses two main claims with Wegovy and Novo Nordisk.

• Failure to warn: The Pennsylvania lawsuit alleges that the plaintiff experienced side effects not included on the drug’s warning label.
• Negligent misrepresentation and marketing: The lawsuit also alleges that Novo Nordisk misrepresented the severity of potential side effects and engaged in harmful marketing practices that targeted teens and minorities. 

Besides lawsuits filed by people harmed by the drug, Wegovy has also been involved in lawsuits filed by drug maker Novo Nordisk. The drug manufacturer has filed lawsuits against wellness and medical spas, weight loss clinics and compounding pharmacies for selling off-brand versions of Wegovy and Ozempic.

Consumers should be aware of these off-brand versions, which are untested and may come with additional side effects.

If you or a loved one took Wegovy and experienced severe side effects like gastroparesis, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit.

Our law firm has represented and achieved recoveries for plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits. Compensation through verdicts or settlements can help you pay for medical expenses and give you peace of mind while you recover.

The largest Wegovy lawsuit is the multidistrict litigation (MDL) In re: Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RAs) Products Liability Litigation, MDL No.3094. A MDL is a way for federal courts to streamline cases against common defendants with similar claims and facts. 
This eases the administrative burden for courts and can make the legal process quicker.

Established in February 2024, the Wegovy MDL is operating out of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. District Judge Karen Marston is the presiding judge. As of August 23, 2024, there were more than 840 pending actions in the MDL.

Because MDLs may consolidate similar claims, the GLP-1 MDL has consolidated claims concerning the following medical drugs:

These drugs are glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). While the drugs are different, their similar mechanisms of action make them eligible to be consolidated into an MDL. Injured people may experience similar side effects from semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide, the active ingredients of the GLP-1 RA drugs in the Wegovy MDL.

People who are joining the Wegovy MDL have:

• Taken a GLP-1 RA drug, such as Wegovy, as directed and prescribed
• Experienced a serious adverse health event from the drug that was not listed on the label
• Recognized that the drug’s manufacturer did not advertise their health issue

The lawsuits in the MDL have named drug makers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly as defendants. Novo Nordisk is responsible for manufacturing semaglutide and liraglutide drugs, like Wegovy. Eli Lilly is the manufacturer of tirzepatide and dulaglutide

People harmed by Wegovy and other GLP-1 RA drugs may still file a lawsuit to join the MDL.

Is there a Wegovy class action lawsuit?

As of July 2024, there is not a Wegovy class action drug lawsuit against Novo Nordisk for people harmed by the drug. Instead, the MDL in federal court represents the growing number of cases against Wegovy’s manufacturer.

In a class action, one or more individuals file one lawsuit for a larger group of people, or “class.” They can result in verdicts or settlement awards. People included in the class can then file to receive their share of the resolution.

With an MDL, individual cases for similar claims are consolidated under a single judge, which can ease the burden on the court system. Lawsuits in an MDL are then tried individually, rather than as a class action. The cases can resolve one by one or as a global settlement.

Who can file a Wegovy lawsuit?

People who suffered serious harms not warned on Wegovy’s label may be able to file a Wegovy lawsuit. If you are unsure if you qualify for a lawsuit, you can speak with a Wegovy lawyer to explore your legal options.

How can a Wegovy lawyer help?

A Wegovy lawyer can help you navigate the complexities of filing a lawsuit against defendant Novo Nordisk for any injuries you suffered from the prescription weight loss medication. A Wegovy attorney can help you:

• Determine if you qualify for a lawsuit
• Gather evidence for your claim
• File the appropriate paperwork for your case
• Represent you at trial

Motley Rice’s attorneys have experience handling complex litigation and negotiations for people injured by medical drugs. You can reach out to a member of our team about an initial free case evaluation today.

GLP-1 RA lawsuit plaintiff profiles

The plaintiffs of GLP-1 RA lawsuits are people who have filed a claim against Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly. They were harmed by serious, unadvertised side effects by drugs like Wegovy. Some of these plaintiffs in the GLP-1 RA MDL include:

• Wegovy injury: In January 2023, a 37-year-old woman began taking Wegovy as directed by her doctor. She began experiencing serious side effects, such as fatigue, nausea, stomach cramping and vomiting in July 2023. By the end of the month, she could no longer eat or drink. She was soon hospitalized because of her symptoms and was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a severe condition with no cure. After this diagnosis, she was advised to stop taking Wegovy. Despite this, she continues to suffer from gastroparesis and requires continuous medical care. In September 2023, she filed a lawsuit against Wegovy’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk. - Represented by Motley Rice
• Ozempic/Mounjaro injury: A 44-year-old woman began taking Ozempic after receiving a prescription from her doctor in the summer of 2022. In July 2023, she began taking Mounjaro instead of Ozempic. Soon after, she began experiencing severe health issues, including gastrointestinal burning, stomach pain and vomiting. She went to the ER several times as a result of her gastrointestinal pain. The vomiting was severe and frequent enough to damage her teeth, requiring additional assistance to help with replacing the damaged or lost teeth. She filed a lawsuit in August 2023 against both Novo Nordisk (Ozempic’s manufacturer) and Eli Lilly (Mounjaro’s manufacturer). - Not represented by Motley Rice. 
• Ozempic injury: In 2022, an 81-year-old man began taking Ozempic as prescribed by his doctor. In September 2023, he went to a doctor at a hospital to follow up on persistent pain he had been experiencing. An ultrasound helped doctors diagnose the man with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a type of blood clot. He was admitted to the hospital, where he was to stay for three weeks. He had to go to the intensive care unit for 14 days during his hospitalization. Treatment for the DVT included a thrombectomy, a surgery in which the man suffered a pulmonary embolism. He needed two rounds of CPR during the surgery. During his time in the hospital he required several blood transfusions and treatment for three cardiac arrests, which left him with two fractured ribs. He now needs blood thinners, has trouble walking and has paralyzed vocal cords. He also has persistent nausea and vomiting. The man filed a lawsuit against Ozempic’s manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, in December 2023. - Represented by Motley Rice. 
• Ozempic injury: A 58-year-old man began taking Ozempic in 2022. The man went to the emergency room in October 2023, presenting lower abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. The doctors diagnosed him with ileus (a type of bowel obstruction) and gastroparesis. He was hospitalized for 13 days, undergoing several procedures to treat his condition. He returned to the emergency room two days after being discharged. He was hospitalized for three additional days to deal with abdominal pain, chills, nausea and sweats from postoperative fluid build-up and abscesses. He filed his lawsuit against Novo Nordisk in January 2024. - Represented by Motley Rice.

Wegovy is a GLP-1 RA semaglutide drug. It is an injectable medication that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for weight loss. Novo Nordisk originally developed semaglutide drugs to manage diabetes and obesity. Novo Nordisk also produces Ozempic and Rybelsus, diabetes drugs that also use semaglutide.

Wegovy is a GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), which means it mimics the natural GLP-1 hormone. Other GLP-1 RA medications include semaglutide drugs like Ozempic® and Rybelsus®. Wegovy was developed after diabetes drug testing found semaglutide drugs caused weight loss. Wegovy is a higher dosage version of the diabetes drug Ozempic. 

The drug’s FDA approved label indicates usage for chronic weight management for overweight or obese adults with at least one weight-related condition. Weight-related conditions include high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. The approval also indicates that Wegovy should be used in conjunction with lifestyle changes like reduced caloric intake and increased exercise.

Wegovy differs from other semaglutide drugs in its dosage and approved treatable conditions. 

Concerns over Wegovy: off-label use background

Many of the publicized concerns with Ozempic stem from the drug’s popular off-label usage for weight loss. However, Wegovy is approved as a weight loss drug for certain adults and children over 12 years old. 

Off-label usage occurs when medications are used to treat conditions they are not FDA-approved for. In general, this is a safe and accepted practice when a doctor is the one prescribing or recommending off-label usage. 

In Wegovy’s case, off-label usage can occur when individuals who are not medically overweight or obese use it to manage weight. Since the drug has not been tested when used this way, the potential for unwanted side effects may be higher.

Health issues related to Wegovy

Wegovy’s prescribing label highlights several potential side effects and reactions to the drug. These reactions were observed in clinical trials and included on the drug’s warning label:

• Abdominal distension
• Abdominal pain
• Acute gallbladder disease
• Acute kidney injury
• Acute pancreatitis
• Allergic reactions
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Dyspepsia (indigestion)
• Eructation (burping)
• Fatigue
• Flatulence
• Gastroenteritis
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease
• Headache
• Hypoglycemia (in diabetic patients)
• Nasopharyngitis (cold)
• Nausea
• Thyroid C-cell tumors
• Vomiting

Studies, consumer reports and lawsuits have highlighted other seeming side effects of semaglutide medications.

One study tied GLP-1 RAs to adverse impacts on the small intestine and blockages in the intestines and stomach. Wegovy users have also reported hospitalization due to gastroparesis (stomach paralysis), which is not included on the drug’s warning label but is believed to have caused it in some users.

These adverse events can be serious or even life-threatening. Patients taking Wegovy should be sure to discuss all of these potential side effects with their doctor. 

Plaintiffs in Wegovy lawsuits allege several common injuries that were absent from the medication's warning label before receiving a prescription. The plaintiffs allege that these conditions result from GLP-1 RAs, like Wegovy.

Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is a condition caused by the weakening or paralysis of the stomach muscles. This reduces the speed of food moving between the stomach and the small intestine and may stop movement altogether. The stomach may fail to process food properly and may not pass it to the small intestine at a healthy rate.
People with gastroparesis may experience:

• Abdominal pain
• Belching
• Feeling full immediately when eating
• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Poor appetite
• Vomiting 

These symptoms may lead to additional complications, including:

• Dehydration
• Difficulties controlling blood sugar levels
• Malnutrition

Novo Nordisk has acknowledged that Wegovy can cause delayed gastric emptying. However, the company denies that this delayed gastric emptying causes gastroparesis.

Bowel obstruction (Ileus)

Ileus is a type of bowel obstruction that occurs when the body can’t pass food through the intestines or bowels because of a physical blockage. Ileus is one of the most common injuries alleged by people who have used Wegovy. Symptoms of ileus include:

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Cramping
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Severe constipation
• Vomiting

Untreated ileus could result in death.

Novo Nordisk has added ileus to the “Postmarketing Experience” section of the Wegovy label but does not have it as a warning on labels for its semaglutide products.

Pulmonary aspiration

Pulmonary aspiration may occur when solid or liquid material enters the lungs or trachea. This condition may occur because the body has regurgitated material from the gastrointestinal tract. Aspiration may be mild, or it may be a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, depending on the material that enters the lungs.

Gastrointestinal obstruction, like ileus, can make a person more likely to experience a pulmonary aspiration.

Deep vein thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a type of blood clot that typically occurs in the lower leg or thigh. It may also occur in other veins deep in the body. People with DVT may experience the following symptoms:

• Localized pain
• Skin redness
• Warmth or tenderness near the site of the DVT

Left untreated, DVT may cause additional complications. The most serious of these is a pulmonary embolism, a potentially life-threatening blood clot in the lungs.

Gallbladder disease

Gallbladder disease is an umbrella term for conditions that impact a person’s gallbladder. The gallbladder plays an important role in digestion by pushing bile into the small intestines through bile ducts. Gallbladder disease may start in directly in the gallbladder or in the bile ducts. 

Gallbladder disease may make it harder to digest some foods, particularly fatty foods. A gallbladder that has slowed or stopped may build up toxins from the liver. These toxins may then accumulate in the blood, making a person sick. This illness may cause intense pain for the person suffering from gallbladder disease. 

Vision loss  

A July 3, 2024 study linked semaglutide use to an increased risk of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). As a reminder, semaglutide is the active ingredient in Wegovy and its sister drugs, Ozempic and Rybelsus. This increased risk was observed in patients taking semaglutide for diabetes and patients taking it for weight management. NAION is when blood flow to the optic nerve is disturbed or cut off. This can lead to vision loss.

The name NAION describes reduced blood flow to the front of the nerve that is not attributed to inflammation. This inhibits visual information from reaching the brain.

Dr. Joseph Rizzo, the study’s senior author, called NAION “a stroke of the optic nerve.” Rizzo is also the director of neuro-ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston.

The July 2024 study analyzed:

• 710 Type-2 Diabetes patients. A portion of these patients were prescribed semaglutide. Nearly 9% of the patients taking semaglutide had NAION, compared to only 1.8% of patients who were not taking semaglutide. 
• 979 overweight or obese patients. A portion of these patients were prescribed semaglutide. Nearly 7% of the patients taking semaglutide had NAION, compared to only 0.8% of patients who were not taking semaglutide.

The study concluded that this data was enough to “suggest an association between semaglutide and NAION.” Please contact Motley Rice Wegovy lawyers if you have suffered vision loss, blindness or another side effects after taking Wegovy or another semaglutide.

Can Wegovy be prescribed for weight loss?

Yes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Wegovy as a prescription medicine for some people for weight loss. It was initially approved for adults only  but has since been approved for people aged 12 or older.  It is intended to be used alongside diet and exercise.

People interested in Wegovy should speak with their doctor to see if they qualify. A medical professional can also help understand Wegovy’s potential side effects.

Are Ozempic and Wegovy the same?

Ozempic and Wegovy have the same active ingredient but are two different drugs. Both drugs use semaglutide, a GLP-1 RA, and are manufactured by Novo Nordisk. Ozempic has been FDA-approved to help manage Type-2 diabetes, while Wegovy has approval to manage weight.

Learn more about the differences between Ozempic and Wegovy.

Is Wegovy safe?

While Wegovy has been FDA-approved for weight loss, users may experience side effects. Some side effects may be included on its warning labels. A number of lawsuits have been filed alleging additional, serious health conditions have resulted from using Wegovy.

Speak with your doctor about the potential risks from taking Wegovy. If you believe you are experiencing side effects from Wegovy, including those not listed on its warning label, please seek immediate medical attention.

Our medical attorneys have represented thousands of patients seriously hurt by dangerous prescription and over-the-counter drugs. We understand that as a patient or family member, what you know about your or a loved one’s medications may be limited. 

If you believe a medicine made you sick or hurt you, our attorneys have the resources needed to thoroughly investigate and:

• Identify potentially harmful medicines
• Review if the medicine hurt you
• Review the medicine manufacturer’s compliance with FDA regulations
• Examine the adequacy of the manufacturer's warning to you about potential side effects
• Recognize other issues that could affect your potential claim

Learn more about our medical drug experience here.

Do not stop taking a prescribed medication without first consulting with your doctor. Discontinuing a prescribed medication without your doctor's advice can result in injury or death.