Posted on April 10th, 2024
Ozempic, a drug whose main purpose is to keep diabetes under control in adults, was found to cause stomach paralysis and bowel obstruction in some patients. The manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, was sued by multiple affected individuals. Here are the latest updates with regard to the Ozempic lawsuit.
On August 2, 2023, the first Ozempic stomach paralysis lawsuit was filed based on "failure to warn." The drug, which is meant to keep type II diabetes under control, was found to cause gastroparesis in some patients, a debilitating condition that affects the normal spontaneous movement of the muscles in the stomach. It can also cause bowel obstruction. For this reason, multiple individuals sued Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic, seeking financial compensation for their physical and emotional suffering. The following are some of the most important events that have occurred in the Ozempic lawsuit since the beginning of 2024.
- April 1, 2024: Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk continues to sue pharmacies for knockoffs. The FDA has discouraged the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy from compounding Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. Furthermore, the agency issued guidance acknowledging the popularity and risks of knockoff Ozempic. The biggest concern is "compounded" Ozempic. So far, Novo Nordisk has settled more than one lawsuit against pharmacies providing substances that are not, in fact, Ozempic.
- March 21, 2024: A substantial number of Ozempic lawsuits are expected to be filed in New Jersey state court, in addition to the cases that have been filed in federal court. Law firms with a large volume of Ozempic cases are likely to file some in state court as a way to hedge their bets against putting all their lawsuits into one litigation in front of one judge.
- March 10, 2024: Judge Gene E.K. Pratter, the presiding Judge in the Ozempic lawsuit, will appoint lawyers to certain roles and set a discovery schedule. She will also make decisions regarding what cases are included in the lawsuit and what evidence is allowed to be used at trial. Judge Gene E.K. Pratter was confirmed by the Senate on June 15, 2004. She is a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. We expect the Ozempic lawsuit to be one of the largest and most complex in the history of the U.S.
- February 24, 2024: Novo Nordisk owns the patent for semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, which means no other manufacturer is allowed to produce it. Because drug knockoffs had appeared on the market, the company filed at least 12 lawsuits against entities believed to sell Ozempic knockoffs. Novo Nordisk has been aggressively targeting pharmacies and online drug sellers for "compounding," which the company says is not FDA-approved.
- February 16, 2024: The first status conference was set in the Ozempic lawsuit. A week after the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation created MDL 3094, the official Ozempic lawsuit, and transferred all cases to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the first status conference was set for March 14, 2024. The topics that are going to be discussed include filing procedures for motions, responses, complaints, and other documents; organization and process for selecting plaintiffs' lead counsel; and scheduling and frequency of future status conferences.
- February 15, 2024: The basis of the Ozempic lawsuit is the failure to warn about the potential for experiencing serious side effects as a result of using the drug or other similar drugs. Researchers have solid evidence for stomach paralysis and bowel obstruction. However, when it comes to gallbladder cases, it is important to note that most individuals with this health problem will not be eligible to file a claim in the federal MDL Ozempic lawsuit. This is because the manufacturer added a gallbladder warning in March of 2022.
- February 4, 2024: The Ozempic lawsuit becomes official. It will be known as MDL 3094 and will be heard in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania federal court. Hon. Gene E. K. Pratter will be the Judge. This venue is seen as a plaintiff-friendly venue, as there have recently been large verdicts in the Philadelphia area against Monsanto in the Roundup litigation. It is worth noting that Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Mounjaro, another diabetes drug that can cause stomach paralysis, has been included in the Ozempic lawsuit.
- January 14, 2024: A request to organize Ozempic and Mounjaro lawsuits into a "class action" style MDL was made by the attorneys of those injured by using these drugs. The panel of Judges was asked to consider referring all Ozempic and similar lawsuits nationwide to a single federal district court. Some of the benefits of creating an MDL are cost-effectiveness for all parties, efficiency in the pre-trial discovery process, and fairness among all plaintiffs with similar injuries.
Quality legal assistance for individuals struggling with stomach paralysis or bowel obstruction caused by diabetes drugs
Our attorneys have over 35 years of experience in pursuing financial compensation in defective drug cases and they will gladly offer you the assistance you need if you developed gastroparesis or bowel obstruction as a result of using Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus. To initiate the legal process, all you have to do is send in evidence of having used the drug and your medical records with your diagnosis. The documents will be used to carefully assess your case.
After a thorough evaluation of your case, our skilled attorneys will determine whether you are eligible for filing a claim with the manufacturer. If you might be entitled to financial compensation, our legal team will go to great lengths to obtain the most favorable outcome for your case. Furthermore, because we understand how difficult having stomach paralysis or bowel obstruction can be, we will strive to make the legal process as easy to navigate as possible for you.
