If you or a loved one has been harmed or injured by the Ozempic medication, you could have grounds for an Ozempic lawsuit. A dangerous drug lawyer can help you understand your legal options.
This guide will teach you everything you need to know about the Ozempic medication. It covers what Ozempic is, the health dangers it is associated with, and your legal options if you believe it harmed or injured you or a loved one.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a brand name for semaglutide, the active ingredient in prescription drugs used to control sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes. It is classified as a GLP-1 receptor agonist. They are a new class of medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Ozempic comes as a liquid inside pre-filled disposable pens. It is administered once a week by injection beneath the skin.
It stimulates the pancreas to release insulin, which reduces blood sugar levels. That is why it is not used for Type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. It is also not used for people who have had pancreatitis.
The medication also slows down the rate of food digestion and sends signals to your brain that you’re full. It results in less hunger and early satiety that could help you lose weight.
Ozempic was developed by Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company, in 2012. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating Type 2 diabetes in adults in 2017
Uses of Ozempic
Ozempic is one of three medications that contain the active ingredient semaglutide. The other two are Wegovy and Rybelsus. Rybelsus is an oral semaglutide.
These GLP-1 receptor agonist analog-type drugs can lower blood sugar levels and promote weight loss. A clinical trial reported they reduce body weight by an average of 15%.
However, the FDA has approved Ozempic for one use only: treatment for Type 2 diabetes, and recommends combining it with life improvements like diet and exercise.
It is not explicitly approved for weight loss. Part of the reason for its popularity as a weight loss drug is people posting their weight loss success using Ozempic on social media. Even celebrities and notable people have used it for weight loss, fueling its popularity.
But losing weight using medication not intended for cosmetic weight loss can lead to several side effects, which we discuss later. Most critical, however, is the shortage of the drug due to its growing popularity as a lifestyle medication. Ozempic is a life-saving medicine. People with diabetes that need Ozempic to live may experience high blood sugar levels if they don’t get it because someone needs it to look better.
Only Wegovy is approved for weight loss, but that’s not to say it is free from the Ozempic side effects. A study on patients without diabetes showed Wegovy results in a 12.5% loss in weight. Wegovy is injected under the skin once a week, like Ozempic, but it comes at a slightly higher dosage. It’s what Elon Musk uses.
Side effects and health dangers of Ozempic
As with all medications, using Ozempic, especially for weight loss, has several adverse effects. Ozempic comes with a black box warning, FDA’s highest safety warning. A black box warning calls attention to serious or life-threatening risks associated with a medication.
Below is a list and discussion of the potential side effects and health dangers of Ozempic.
The serious side effects of using Ozempic include the following:
- Pancreatitis
- Thyroid tumors or thyroid cancer
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Hypoglycemia
- Gallbladder disease (gallstones and inflammation)
Serious side effects, like Ozempic cancer cases, are less common than mild ones. Call your doctor as soon as they occur. They can be fatal if not addressed.
The FDA had received more than 10,000 reports of adverse effects related to semaglutide by the end of 2021. Many of these effects were related to gallbladder disorders. According to the product label, 1.5% and 0.4% of patients treated with the 0.5 and 0.1mg doses, respectively, reported gallstones. 90% of the patients had to remove their gallbladders.
If you use it for weight loss, you need to worry about two things: Ozempic face and the rebound effect.
What is Ozempic face?
Ozempic face is a term coined to describe an aged or gaunt look on the faces of people who use Ozempic. Ozempic isn’t approved for rapid weight loss. So, people that lose a significant amount of weight in a short time using Ozempic can lose the fat in their face. It can result in an aged and hollow look.
The only way to regain fat in the face and lose the Ozempic face is to regain weight. And even then, it won’t look the same because of the skin laxity caused by the weight loss.
What happens after you stop using Ozempic?
If you stop taking the medication, you will experience a “rebound effect.” In about a year, you can regain almost or more than the weight you lost due to the medication. This is because using Ozempic to lose weight doesn’t teach you how to eat healthy, exercise, build mental strength, and other skills and habits you need to maintain it.
A study found that after withdrawal from the weekly injections, you can gain two-thirds of the lost weight in a year.
What to do if you or a loved one is harmed or injured by Ozempic use
If you or a loved one is harmed or injured by Ozempic use, you must seek medical attention as soon as possible, report to the FDA’s MedWatch program, and contact a personal injury attorney.
Seek medical attention
Contact your healthcare provider immediately you are harmed or injured. Your healthcare provider will help you manage the side effects or adverse reactions. They will assess your condition and hospitalize you or adjust your dosage based on the severity of the effects or reaction.
Report to the FDA’s MedWatch program
FDA’s MedWatch program collects information from patients and healthcare providers about problems related to medical products. You don’t have to report to the MedWatch program about the adverse effects, but you should. It helps the FDA, healthcare professionals, and patients identify safety concerns of the drug that affected you.
You can report online, by mail, or by phone.
Contact a personal injury attorney
Consult with a personal injury attorney experienced in pharmaceutical product liability cases so they can explain your legal options. For example, if you have thyroid cancer, they can assess the details of your situation to determine whether you have grounds for an Ozempic thyroid cancer lawsuit. But only a dangerous drug attorney can help you determine if you do.
What is an Ozempic lawsuit?
An Ozempic lawsuit is a legal claim you can file if taking the medication Ozempic has harmed or injured you. However, not all people who experience adverse effects while taking Ozempic have grounds for an Ozempic lawsuit. That is why you must consult with a qualified attorney to understand your legal options.
Who may be liable for injuries or harm due to Ozempic use?
You can file an Ozempic lawsuit against the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, if you were harmed or injured by Ozempic.
However, it can be more challenging to establish liability for an FDA-approved medication that was used off-label. This is because manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure safety and effectiveness only for the drug’s approved use. And Ozempic is not approved for weight loss, so Novo Nordisk may argue that they did not promote or endorse its use for weight loss.
However, some exceptions could allow you to pursue legal action. They include the following:
- If Ozempic was defectively manufactured or labeled, and directly led to your injury.
- If the manufacturer did not provide enough warnings about the risks of using Ozempic.
- If the manufacturer provided explicit or implicit warranties about the safety or effectiveness of Ozempic, but it did not meet those warranties.
You should consult with an experienced dangerous drug attorney to discuss the details of your situation. They will help you determine whether you have grounds for legal action.
Why you need an attorney for your Ozempic lawsuit
You need to hire a dangerous drug lawyer to pursue an Ozempic lawsuit. Attempting to pursue it independently can be difficult and overwhelming, especially when dealing with a large pharmaceutical company. Some of the reasons why you should work with an attorney include the following:
- Legal expertise: Attorneys can help you understand and protect your rights and legal options and help you navigate complex legal processes.
- Investigative resources: An experienced attorney has all the resources to investigate your case thoroughly. They can review medical records, conduct interviews with relevant people, and consult with experts to gather enough evidence to support your claim.
- Negotiating skills: Attorneys can negotiate with insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and any other parties involved in your case. They can ensure you get the maximum compensation you deserve from each liable party.
- Trial experience: If it goes to court, an attorney can represent you. They can represent you and advocate for your rights and interests.
- Peace of mind: Having an attorney handle the complex and demanding legal processes gives you the peace of mind you need to recover and improve from your Ozempic injuries.
If you pursue an Ozempic lawsuit without a lawyer, you risk making mistakes or being taken advantage of by the other party’s legal team. A dangerous drug attorney will help you build a strong case, navigate the legal processes, and protect your rights during negotiation, trial, and settlement.
How long do you have to file your Ozempic lawsuit in California?
You generally have two years to file a lawsuit from the day you or your loved one suffered the injury or harm. It may be challenging to determine or prove the time you discovered the injury or harm for the adverse effects of Ozempic. But a skilled lawyer can help you.
What compensation can you receive for an Ozempic lawsuit?
If Ozempic has harmed you or a loved one, you can be compensated through a class action lawsuit against Ozempic. The exact compensation amount depends on your case’s specific circumstances and the extent of your injuries. It could include:
- Medical expenses: Medical expenses include costs associated with the injuries caused by the drug, including medication, rehabilitation, hospitalization, and surgery.
- Lost income and wages: If your injuries caused time off work or made you unable to work at the same level you did, you can pursue compensation for lost income and wages.
- Pain and suffering: You can recover compensation for your physical and emotional pain, especially if the side effects were severe like pancreatitis.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: You may be compensated for the loss of enjoyment of life in an Ozempic lawsuit if your injuries affected your ability to participate in activities you previously enjoyed. They can include hiking, making love, etc.
- Wrongful death: If you lost a loved one due to Ozempic, you can recover compensation for funeral expenses, lost income, medical expenses, and other damages due to their death.
Your lawyer will help you understand your legal rights and assess the circumstances of your case and the extent of the harm or injuries to help you pursue maximum compensation.
File your Ozempic gallbladder or gallstones lawsuit with Nadrich & Cohen
Ozempic can reduce body weight by 15%, but FDA has not approved them for weight loss. Using them for weight loss can result in severe side effects that could lead to pancreatitis, thyroid cancer, hypoglycemia, gallbladder diseases, Ozempic deaths, etc.
If you used it to lose weight and suffered any adverse effects anywhere in California, from Yreka to Palm Desert, you could have grounds for an Ozempic lawsuit. Nadrich & Cohen are dangerous drug lawyers that serve all of California. We have more than 30 years of experience handling medication side effect cases, taking on some of the largest corporations in the world. Our lawyers will keep you updated on the progress of your case.
If you or a loved one was harmed after using Ozempic, call us now for a free consultation to determine if you have grounds for a legal claim.
