A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed in B.C.’s Supreme Court alleging the Canadian manufacturer of Ozempic failed to warn future patients about possible complications.
The drug’s popularity has exploded ever since doctors began prescribing it for weight loss.
But Tracy Nygard, 54, was taking Ozempic for its original purpose: to treat type 2 diabetes. After her first dose, she knew something was wrong.
“My stomach hurt so much, I had pain, bloating and vomiting,” Nygard said from her home in Quesnel.
Ozempic was so effective in controlling her blood sugar that Nygard’s doctor suggested she continue with weekly injections. But her side effects remained.
“One of the reactions I had was I went to the ER. I said I couldn’t take this anymore,” Nygard said, but eventually stopped talking about Ozempic.
“I’m worried that there may be permanent damage,” Nygard said. “If I had been warned about the serious side effects before I started taking it, I would have been able to make a more informed decision.”
She has joined a proposed class action lawsuit against Canadians who say they experienced severe complications while taking Ozempic for diabetes and weight loss and believe they were not informed of the risks. .
The lawsuit, brought by Siskins, an Ontario law firm specializing in medical class actions, focuses on allegations that the drug company failed to warn prospective patients about the possibility of serious side effects. There is.
“Dozens of Canadians have already contacted us who believe they fall within the definition of this class, have taken Ozempic or any of these other drugs, and have subsequently experienced severe gastrointestinal or gallbladder symptoms. “We have received reports that people have experienced symptoms of this. It’s a related issue,” said Siskins’ associate attorney James Boyd.
He added that some people who contacted his company had experienced a condition known as gastroparesis.
“It’s a disease in which food gets stuck in the digestive system and delays actual urination, causing severe abdominal pain that some people feel like their stomachs are numb,” Boyd said.
Ms. Nygard believes that’s what happened to her when she took Ozempic. “Some people, like me, suffer from delayed digestion,” she said.
Dr. Yashar Tashakkor, a North Vancouver internist who specializes in obesity, added that Ozempic is designed to slow down the digestive tract, which is why it helps people lose weight.
“Typically, in my patient stories, about 10 percent of patients may experience nausea as well as vomiting,” he said.
Dr. Tashakkor said he has not seen gastroparesis among his patients and that they mainly benefit from taking Ozempic. But he said he would address that possibility now.
“I’m going to say this is something I’m going to discuss with my patients and there’s some evidence emerging that might suggest that. I haven’t come across any cases and it’s rare, but my job… is to inform patients of all the risks and benefits that I know about,” Tashakkol said.
Novo Nordisk, the Canadian manufacturer of Ozempic and other similar drugs named in the proposed class action lawsuit, said in a statement: Product labeling and approved indications. ”
None of the claims in the proposed class action have been heard in court. Ultimately, a judge will decide whether to grant the award, and patients like Nygard can seek relief.
