A Louisiana woman is suing the manufacturers of the injectable drugs Ozempic and Munjaro, alleging she suffered severe gastrointestinal problems after taking them.
The drug semaglutide, used by the brands Ozempic and Wegovy, was developed to treat diabetes, but has become a popular way to help lose weight, with several celebrities claiming semaglutide. admits to taking
in the Lawsuit filed on August 2ndJacqueline Bjorklund’s attorney said she had been using Ozempic for over a year before starting in July 2023 before taking Munjaro. A 44-year-old woman is suing Novo, the makers of both drugs Nordisk and Eli Lilly, for failing to warn her of the risk of gastroparesis. And she has gastroenteritis.
“As a result of defendant’s use of Ozempic and Munjaro, Plaintiff suffered severe gastrointestinal distress, resulting in severe and permanent personal injury, pain, suffering, emotional distress, and medical expenses,” the lawsuit states. is written. .
Ozempic, Wigoby, Munjaro:How These Drugs Boost Weight Loss — And What You Need to Know
Suit says patient was hospitalized with abdominal pain
The lawsuit alleges that Björklund experienced severe vomiting and gastroenteritis and was hospitalized for abdominal pain. She knocked out some of her teeth during excessive vomiting and she vomited up whole foods hours after eating, the document added.
The complaint alleges that the pharmaceutical company failed to disclose a link between GLP-1 agonists and the risk of developing serious gastrointestinal problems, resulting in insufficient medication warnings, but Björk said in the document. It was not stated whether Lund had been diagnosed with gastroparesis.
USA TODAY has reached out to Bjorklund’s attorney for comment.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for all pain, suffering and emotional distress endured by Björklund, medical costs incurred, attorneys’ fees and additional legal costs incurred during the legal process.
Both drug companies list drug side effects
Unlike Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegobee, which use semaglutide, Eli Lilly uses tripeptides for Mounjaro. Both semaglutide and tripeptides, similar to the naturally-made hormone GLP-1, slow the passage of food into the stomach, slowing the hunger process.
The Ozempic prescribing information carries the risk of frequent adverse events such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and constipation when taking this drug. In the section detailing drug interactions, Novo Nordisk notes that Ozempic may slow gastric emptying, which may affect absorption of oral medications.
Side effects and long-term effects:Why experts worry there’s a darker side to the ‘magic’ of new weight-loss drugs
Similarly, the Mounjaro prescribing information lists the major adverse events including nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, dyspepsia and abdominal pain. Eli Lilly emphasizes that Munjaro may slow gastric emptying, which may affect drug absorption.
“Patient safety is paramount to Novo Nordisk,” a Novo Nordisk spokesperson told USA TODAY following the lawsuit. “We are continuously monitoring the safety profile of our products and are working closely with authorities to ensure patient safety, including adequate labeling information on gastrointestinal side effects.”
Novo Nordisk states that gastrointestinal disturbances are a “well-known side effect of the GLP-1 class” and, with semaglutide, most gastrointestinal side effects are mild to moderate in severity and short in duration. Short and added.
“Patient safety is Lilly’s top priority, and we are actively involved in the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of safety information for all of our medicines,” an Eli Lilly representative told USA TODAY. .
