Ozempic Facing Paying $2 Billion or More in Lawsuits

Danish pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk could end up paying out over $2 billion to settle over 2,000 lawsuits over side effects related to its popular drug Ozempic. Though originally brought to market as a type 2 diabetes treatment, Ozempic has found widespread adoption as a weight-loss drug in recent years. However, it can cause severe side effects, which have led many people to file lawsuits against the pharmaceutical giant.

About the Ozempic Lawsuit

Ozempic Liabilities Could Cost Novo Nordisk $2 Billion

There are currently thousands of lawsuits pending in state and federal courts against Novo Nordisk. These legal liabilities could cost the company more than $2 billion over the next several years, according to a recent analysis by Financial Express. The company makes three GLP-1 drugs (i.e., Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelus), all of which are facing lawsuits related to severe side effects.

Novo Nordisk is named in a group federal lawsuit for people harmed by Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs. That litigation currently has 2,809 active lawsuits. Hundreds of other lawsuits are unfiled or pending in state courts. As this litigation grows, Novo Nordisk could spend billions of dollars to litigate and settle lawsuits about Ozempic and its other GLP-1 drugs.

These lawsuits are major liabilities with concrete accusations. The lawsuits against Novo Nordisk allege that the drug manufacturer failed to adequately warn patients of the risks of using Ozempic. Though rare, the drug’s potential side effects include severe conditions like pancreatitis, vision loss, blood clots, gastrointestinal conditions, and kidney damage. These side effects can have profound effects on a person’s life, leading to medical bills, loss of income, and pain and suffering.

The sheer volume of lawsuits will be costly for Novo Nordisk to defend against. Among potential costs included in the $2 billion estimate are:

• Settlements with patients who suffered severe side effects from Ozempic or another semaglutide manufactured by Novo Nordisk like Wegovy
• Trial awards in cases that go to court
• Legal fees
• Punitive damages, if courts find that Novo Nordisk intentionally hid safety information

Where is the $2 Billion Figure Coming From?

The $2 billion estimate quoted by Financial Express is largely based on the number of lawsuits being filed and assumes that additional lawsuits will be filed. As of early September, there were over 2,600 federal lawsuits pending against GLP-1 manufacturers, around 2,000 of which were against Novo Nordisk. By October 1, that number had risen to 2,809 lawsuits filed over Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs.

Novo Nordisk’s Problem: 2,000 Ozempic Lawsuits and Counting

Many of the plaintiffs have joined a type of group lawsuit known as a multidistrict litigation (MDL). An MDL is a federal civil lawsuit that bundles together cases with similar claims to streamline proceedings while treating each case as its own entity. The Ozempic MDL, MDL 3094 In Re: Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RAS) Products Liability Litigation, names Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly as defendants.

There are currently more than 2,000 lawsuits included in the MDL, the majority of which have been filed against Novo Nordisk for its semaglutide drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelus.

Lawsuits Related to Side Effects Experienced by Thousands of Ozempic Patients

Ozempic is widely touted to be safe and well-studied, but some users may experience severe side effects. While the most common side effects are mild and temporary, some side effects are far more serious and can potentially be life-altering. These may include severe problems with organs and blood vessels, including:

• Severe vomiting and dehydration
• Kidney damage
• Vision loss
• Gastro-intestinal conditions (including gastroparesis)
• Pancreatic conditions
• Blood clots

Is Novo Nordisk Going to Pay a $2 Billion Settlement to Plaintiffs?

It is too early to say for sure how much these lawsuits will cost Novo Nordisk. The $2 billion figure is an estimate made by analysts based on a predicted number of lawsuits and the damages being claimed by plaintiffs. How much Novo Nordisk pays will depend on whether courts hold it liable for the side effects of the drugs, and if the company is found to have intentionally covered up those risks.

Attorneys on both sides of the cases are preparing for bellwether trials, a common practice in MDL actions. The outcomes of these trials are often used as a baseline for negotiating settlements in similar cases.

Are More People Going to Join the Ozempic Lawsuit?

As long as the lawsuit remains active in Federal Court, more people can join the Ozempic MDL. Given the popularity of GLP-1s, it is very likely that more people will be joining the litigation as time goes on. Between September and October, 133 new cases were added to the litigation. As lawyers prepare for next steps in the litigation, more lawsuits will be added. This will make Novo Nordisk’s potential financial liabilities grow.

Will the $2B Grow If More People File New Ozempic Lawsuits?

The $2 billion estimate is based on projections from Q2 of 2025. That estimate will increase if any of the following occur:

• More people join the lawsuit than anticipated.
• The types of injuries are more severe than predicted or more numerous than predicted.
• Novo Nordisk is found to have taken inappropriate steps to hide the drug’s side effects.

Court decisions will ultimately determine what, if any, liability Novo Nordisk has in these cases.

Why Novo Nordisk Could Pay More Than $2 Billion to Settle Ozempic Lawsuits

How much Novo Nordisk ultimately has to pay each person will depend on whether courts find that the company acted negligently with respect to Ozempic. Factors that will be considered include:

• Whether Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide products cause severe injuries
• Whether Novo Nordisk was aware of these side effects
• Whether Novo Nordisk provided adequate warning of those side effects, particularly in the context of prescribing the drug for weight loss
• Whether Novo Nordisk updated its drug label to account for emerging research and usage
• Whether Novo Nordisk failed to bring evidence from clinical trials to the FDA

If the company acted negligently in the ways outlined above, it may be on the hook to pay economic, non-economic, and punitive damages to people harmed by its GLP-1 drugs.

Who Would the $2 Billion Be Paid to?

Not all of the $2 billion would go to people harmed by Ozempic, though much of the sum could go toward settlements for successful plaintiffs. Those who can successfully prove that they suffered a qualifying medical injury as a result of using Ozempic would receive payouts from Novo Nordisk. This process involves providing evidence of usage and a related medical diagnosis. Individuals with the following diagnosed medical conditions may be eligible to file an Ozempic lawsuit:

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Gallbladder cancer
• Gallbladder removal (prior to March 2022)
• Gastroparesis
• Ileus/bowel obstruction (with surgery)
• Necrotizing pancreatitis
• Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION)
• Pancreatic cancer
• Pulmonary aspiration
• Pulmonary embolism

MDL No. 3094 does not include diagnoses of blood clots or non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Individuals with those conditions who believe they were caused by Ozempic can still pursue individual lawsuits at the state level. It is also possible that a future MDL will include those diagnoses.

Is it Guaranteed that Novo Nordisk Will Pay $2 Billion in Settlements to Plaintiffs?

The current estimate does not guarantee Novo Nordisk will pay out $2 billion in settlements to plaintiffs. The projection is a best guess based on the number of patients who take semaglutide, the reported symptom profiles, and the number of lawsuits being filed. Given those factors, it is very likely that Novo Nordisk will face some financial liabilities.

What Has to Happen Before Novo Nordisk Pays Ozempic Settlements

A few things still need to happen before Novo Nordisk pays out any Ozempic settlements. The MDL is currently in discovery. This is a pre-trial phase of a lawsuit. During this phase, the parties involved (attorneys) in a case exchange information concerning evidence, witnesses, and depositions they plan to present during the case. Once discovery has been completed, the MDL will move on to bellwether trials.

Bellwether Trials

Ozempic bellwether trials are expected to begin in early 2026. These early trials will establish evidence for Novo Nordisk’s liability in similar cases and provide a basis for settlement negotiations. At that point, it should become clearer whether the $2 billion estimate is accurate.

Possible Inclusion of New Injuries

As more data becomes available on long-term side effects from Ozempic, particularly when used for weight loss, it is possible that eligibility will be expanded to include additional medical conditions. Among those being investigated are hair loss and kidney damage. These injuries could also be consolidated in a separate MDL.

Settlement Talks

The outcome of the Ozempic bellwether trials will shape settlement negotiations. For example, if juries in these trials hold Novo Nordisk liable, the pharmaceutical company may be incentivized to offer a global settlement to injured parties.

Can People Still Join the Group Litigation for People Harmed by Ozempic?

It is not too late to join the MDL against Ozempic. If you have used Ozempic or another GLP-1 manufactured by Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly and have a qualifying medical condition, consult with an attorney as soon as possible to join the lawsuit. If you have an injury that you believe was caused by Ozempic that isn’t part of the current MDL, you can still file a case individually in your state’s court.

Contact King Law for a Case Review by an Ozempic Attorney

King Law has decades of experience holding pharmaceutical corporations accountable. We are actively reviewing cases involving injuries related to Ozempic and other GLP-1s. We offer free consultations with no commitments, and work on a contingency basis. That means we only get paid if you do. If you are interested in filing an Ozempic lawsuit, contact us today at (585) 496-2648 for a free case evaluation.

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