Canadians could cash in on $500K class-action lawsuit against Ozempic
If you’ve ever used Ozempic and suffered severe side effects, you could get money from a class-action lawsuit filed against its maker.
A proposed class action was filed in BC on October 6 for alleged “serious harms” caused by Novo Nordisk’s drugs Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy.
The lawsuit claims the pharmaceutical company was “unlawful, negligent” and used “deceptive practices” when it came to disclosing “significant risks” to regulators, healthcare professionals and the general public.
Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy are pharmaceutical drugs containing the active ingredient semaglutide. They have been approved to be treatments for type 2 diabetes and, in Wegovy’s case, for chronic weight management by regulators.
According to the lawsuit, Ozempic and other semaglutide drugs have been linked to serious side effects like severe stomach problems, gallbladder disease, stomach paralysis, gallstones and other internal blockages.
It accuses Novo Nordisk of “failing to warn consumers adequately” of these dangerous side effects.
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The proposed class-action lawsuit’s plaintiff is 57-year-old BC resident Suzanne Talbot.
She was prescribed and began taking Ozempic in 2021. After using the drug, the lawsuit says that Talbot started experiencing chronic diarrhea, heartburn, shortness of breath and pain that resulted in hospital admissions.
In August 2023, she was hospitalized and diagnosed with a blockage in her biliary system, which is where bile production, storage, and secretion occur through the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts.
According to the claim, healthcare professionals said the blockage was linked to Talbot’s Ozempic use.
In an email statement to Daily Hive, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson said the company stands behind the safety of all of its GLP-1 medicines when used by “appropriate patients consistent with the product labelling and approved indications.”
“Our team is continuously monitoring the safety profile of our products and collaborating closely with health authorities, including Health Canada, to ensure patient safety information, including adequate information on side effects, is included in the product labelling,” they added.
Who’s eligible for possible compensation in the Ozempic class action?
The class action is seeking damages in the amount of $500,000, but that number could change as the lawsuit progresses.
Siskind, the law firm facilitating the litigation, says it can help Canadians seek compensation if they have suffered injuries or complications from Ozempic, Rybelsus, or Wegovy.
You can inquire about the class action on their site, over email, or by phone at 519-672-2121.
The lawsuit has yet to be certified through the court system.
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