Gastroparesis, Muscle Loss, Blindness — Ozempic Lawsuits Make Serious Claims and a Viral Video Is Adding to the Debate

A video circulating on X claims a multi-billion dollar lawsuit has exposed serious side effects linked to Ozempic. The clip was originally shared by investigator and esthetician Andrea Orlando, but after being reshared on X, it has over 743,000 views as of publication. Below it, users are debating the drug's safety and wondering whether it should remain on the market at all.

The video alleges that people taking Ozempic have been reporting that they experienced severe muscle loss, gastroparesis (stomach paralysis), tooth loss, blindness, pancreatitis and kidney failure. Orlando also suggested the lawsuits could ultimately be worth billions of dollars.

To that, an X user wrote, "There is no shortcut to health without severe consequences." Meanwhile, another responded, "They need to take that stupid drug off the market." Another user argued that muscle loss is not inevitable and that patients also need to maintain protein intake and exercise instead of only relying on the medication.

According to the video, plaintiffs suffered so much muscle wasting that it was the equivalent of "20 years of muscle lost in only one year." The video also claimed patients experienced stomach paralysis severe enough to require emergency treatment. It also claims some patients lost teeth because of dry mouth and cites alleged cases of permanent blindness, pancreatitis and kidney failure. The clip says this lawsuit is "just the beginning."

Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic, is facing numerous lawsuits in the United States from patients who allege they developed serious gastrointestinal injuries, including gastroparesis, after using GLP-1 medications. Similar lawsuits have also been filed against Eli Lilly. Many of these cases have been consolidated in federal multidistrict litigation, where plaintiffs argue drugmakers didn't properly warn users about potential risks. The litigation is ongoing.

Research has also shown a possible association between semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, and a rare eye condition known as non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). However, that does not establish a causal relationship; more studies are needed.

Muscle loss can occur during rapid weight loss from any cause, including treatment with GLP-1 medications. Novo Nordisk still maintains that the benefits/risks of Ozempic are mentioned in its FDA-approved label and that patient safety is a priority.