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Motley Rice attorneys appointed to leadership in GLP-1 RA MDL

Motley Rice attorney Jonathan Orent has been appointed co-lead counsel and a member of the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee (PEC) for multidistrict litigation against Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, makers of diabetes and weight loss drugs including Ozempic®, Wegovy® and Mounjaro®. Motley Rice Attorney Sara Couch was also appointed to the PEC as chair of the Marketing Discovery committee. The litigation alleges Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly deceptively marketed GLP-1 agonist drugs and failed to warn people about dangerous side effects.

“We look forward to arguing and advocating for people harmed by this failure to inform of side effects associated with a medication made popular via deliberate viral marketing efforts,” said Jonathan Orent in response to his appointment.

As laid out in the complaints, GLP-1 agonist Ozempic was originally approved in 2017 to help manage blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. Wegovy, which contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic but in a higher dose, was later approved for weight loss. Much of the marketing for GLP-1 drugs focus on their use in weight loss more so than their role in managing blood sugar for diabetics. However, many side effects have been associated with the use of these drugs. Some of the more serious health problems alleged by plaintiffs in the MDL include:

“The marketing of these drugs puts them top of mind for many, but presents a deceptive image of safety that represents a potential danger for people seeking a weight loss solution and ending up on the wrong end of serious side effects,” said Motley Rice litigator Sara Couch.

Motley Rice attorneys have been at the forefront of this litigation with the filing of the first Wegovy lawsuit in the country alleging severe health problems caused by the drug. If you believe you or a loved one was harmed or lost their life due to a GLP-1 drug, reach our attorneys by email or call 1.800.768.4026 to discuss a potential case.