Semaglutide Attorneys
Medications like Wegovy and Ozempic have helped many people manage their diabetes and, in some cases, their weight. However, they’ve also been linked to some pretty serious side effects, hospitalizations, and permanent harm, including sudden vision loss.
FREE CASE REVIEW
If you were harmed by Wegovy, Ozempic, Saxenda, or Victoza, you’re not alone, and you may have legal options. Our team of defective drug attorneys is here to listen, investigate, and fight to get you the compensation and the justice that you deserve.
What Are Semaglutides?
Semaglutides are medications designed to help the body regulate both blood sugar and appetite. They work by mimicking the signals that the body uses to do things like tell the pancreas to release insulin, to slow down the digestion process, and to let your brain know when you’re full.
These medications are used in two primary ways:
- To help those with type 2 diabetes keep their blood sugar under control
- To help people lose weight by controlling hunger and helping them feel full for longer
Popular brands of semaglutide medications include Ozempic, which is designed primarily to treat type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy, which was approved by the FDA as a weight loss medication. Saxenda and Victoza are related medications that belong to a similar family of drugs: liraglutides. Saxenda is approved for weight loss, while Victoza is a type 2 diabetes medication.
Semaglutides vs. Liraglutides: What’s the Difference?
Semaglutides and liraglutides both belong to the same family of medications: GLP-1 receptor agonists. In many ways, the two are very similar. Both are designed to mimic the GLP-1 hormone, which is what helps to regulate blood sugar and appetite in the body. The primary differences are in how long they last. Wegovy and Ozempic, which are both semaglutides, both last about a week per dose, while the liraglutides Saxenda and Victoza are daily injections.
Ozempic (Semaglutide)
Ozempic is perhaps the most well-known of the semaglutide medications. While it was approved by the FDA as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, it has repeatedly made headlines for its widespread usage in Hollywood as a weight loss drug. It’s not approved for use in weight loss, but it is often approved off-label by doctors for that purpose. It’s administered as a once-weekly injection.
Wegovy (Semaglutide)
Wegovy is similar to Ozempic in that it’s also a once-weekly injection, but it’s a stronger dose and was approved by the FDA for use in weight loss. Its primary use is in chronic weight management for those who are overweight or obese. It’s also been approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in adults with obesity and heart disease.
Saxenda (Liraglutide)
Saxenda is also FDA-approved for weight loss, but it’s a daily injection rather than a weekly one. Liraglutides don’t stay in the body as long as semaglutides do. Saxenda is not approved by the FDA to treat diabetes.
Victoza (Liraglutide)
Victoza is the liraglutide medication approved by the FDA to treat type 2 diabetes. Like Saxenda, it doesn’t stay in the body as long as a semaglutide would, so it’s also a daily injection.
How Do Semaglutides and Liraglutides Work?
Your body naturally creates a hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), which functions as a signal system that helps your body handle food. When it’s released each time you eat, it has three primary functions:
- Telling the pancreas to release insulin
- Slowing down the digestion process
- Telling your brain that you’re full
Insulin is what moves sugar out of the bloodstream and into the cells to create energy.
Semaglutides and liraglutides are called GLP-1 receptor agonists because they mimic the functions of the natural GLP-1 hormone. They attach to the same receptors in the body that GLP-1 does, triggering the same processes that the natural hormone would. However, the medications are stronger and last for a longer time than the natural hormone, amplifying the effects of those primary functions.
What Do Semaglutides Treat?
Semaglutides were first developed in order to treat type 2 diabetes because of their ability to help control blood sugar. They, along with liraglutides, are also used in weight loss management and in lowering the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other conditions. Ozempic, in particular, has also been used to treat kidney complications that are related to diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a health condition in which the body doesn’t use insulin correctly. Insulin is what carries the sugar out of the blood and into the cells for use as energy, so when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough of it, the sugar starts to build up in the bloodstream. Type 2 diabetes is often associated with obesity because excess body fat plays a role in the body’s developing a resistance to insulin.
There is no cure for type 2 diabetes once it has developed. However, the disease can be managed with diet and exercise in some mild cases. In others, diabetes medications and insulin therapy may be necessary.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can develop slowly. In many cases, someone could have type 2 diabetes for years and not even know it. When symptoms do occur, they can include:
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Excess thirst
- Excess hunger
- Excess urination
- Blurred vision
- Sores that heal slowly
- Frequently-occurring infections
- Numbness in the hands or feet
- A tingling sensation in the hands or feet
- Darkened skin, typically in the armpits or neck
If you notice any of these symptoms, see a doctor right away.
Complications of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes can lead to a number of health complications that semaglutides are also often prescribed to treat. These complications can include:
- Heart and blood vessel disease
- Nerve damage, particularly in the arms and legs
- Kidney disease
- Damage to the eyes
- Sleep apnea
- Slow healing
- Skin conditions
- Hearing impairment
- Dementia
Weight Loss
While GLP-1 does influence the release of insulin into the bloodstream, that’s not the only thing they do. The hormone also slows down digestion and sends a signal to the brain that you’re full. Medications like semaglutides and liraglutides that have been approved for use in weight loss management amplify these effects. This results in those taking these medications simply eating less over time. The brain thinks that the body is full for much longer, suppressing hunger signals, and the body takes longer to digest food, so the stomach is not empty as quickly, leading to weight loss.
Only Wegovy and Saxenda have been approved by the FDA as weight loss medications, but it’s Ozempic that regularly makes the news for its use in weight loss, especially in Hollywood. Many high-profile celebrities have named Ozempic as the reason for their weight loss and many others have been accused of using Ozempic if they have recently lost a lot of weight.
Semaglutides and liraglutides are apparently effective in their role in weight loss, but this does make them popular enough that those who need them to treat type 2 diabetes and other health conditions may sometimes have difficulty procuring them or may find them more expensive than otherwise because of the demand.
Heart Attack
A heart attack can occur when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked or reduced. Typically, such a blockage is caused by a buildup of fat or cholesterol in the arteries. Heart attacks can be life-threatening, so if you experience any of the symptoms of one, it’s important to seek medical attention right away.
The symptoms of a heart attack vary, but can include:
- Chest pain (may feel like pressure, squeezing, tightness, aching, or pain)
- Pain or discomfort (in the back, arm, shoulder, neck, jaw, teeth, or upper belly)
- Fatigue
- Cold sweat
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Sudden dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea
Heart attacks often present differently in women, who may experience a sharp pain in the arm, neck, or back.
How Do Semaglutides Reduce the Risk of Heart Attacks?
Semaglutides and similar medications help to reduce the risk of heart attacks, not because they’re heart medications but because they help to treat the causes of heart attacks. For example, weight is often linked to heart attacks, and the medication’s effectiveness at reducing weight would therefore also help reduce the risk of heart attacks. Semaglutides and liraglutides may also help prevent inflammation in the blood vessels, which can contribute to an increased risk of heart attacks.
Stroke
A stroke is similar to a heart attack in that it is caused by a blockage preventing the proper flow of blood. In the case of a stroke, however, the blockage prevents blood from reaching the brain. When this happens, the brain cells can’t get the oxygen and nutrients that they need and start to die within minutes. Strokes can also occur if blood vessels in the brain burst or leak, which can put pressure on brain cells, causing damage to them.
A stroke is a medical emergency and should be treated immediately if any of the following symptoms are evident:
- Difficulty speaking
- Trouble understanding what others are saying
- Numbness, paralysis, or weakness typically on one side of the body
- Difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes
- Headache
- Difficulty walking
How Do Semaglutides Reduce the Risk of Strokes?
Being overweight or obese increases the risk of stroke, as does diabetes. Because semaglutides and liraglutides treat both of those things, there’s an indirect effect of those medications also reducing the risk of a stroke.
Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease is a condition frequently associated with diabetes. This is because high amounts of blood sugar can damage the cells in the kidneys, which can reduce the natural functioning of the organs and even lead to kidney failure. The symptoms of chronic kidney disease can include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Muscle cramps
- Swelling in the ankles and feet
- Dry, itchy skin
- Urinating either more or less
- Decreased mental capacity
- High blood pressure
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
The kidneys’ job is to filter waste and fluids from the blood and then flush them out of the body in the form of urine. If they’re not working properly, then that waste can build up within the body, which can be dangerous or even life-threatening.
How Do Semaglutides Reduce the Risk of Kidney Disease?
Kidney disease is typically treated by addressing the root cause of the disease. Because it’s a complication that can occur because of diabetes, taking medication like Ozempic to treat diabetes can also have the effect of treating the chronic kidney disease and lowering the risk of kidney failure.
$2+ BILLION IN RESULTS
Complications Related to Semaglutides
Despite the benefits of semaglutides in treating type 2 diabetes and weight management, these medications also come with some risks. Some of these side effects can be severe and life-changing.
Stomach Paralysis (Gastroparesis)
Gastroparesis, or stomach paralysis, occurs when the process of moving food from the stomach to the intestines is either slowed or stopped altogether. This condition can cause nausea, vomiting, bloating, and stomach pain. It can be severe enough to require hospitalization and is often treated with dietary changes.
Bowel Blockage (Ileus)
Bowel blockage, also known as ileus, occurs when there is a blockage in the bowels that prevents food and waste from moving through the intestines. This can be dangerous and can lead to intense pain, vomiting, swelling, and constipation. In more severe cases, emergency surgery may be required to treat it. The FDA updated the label for Ozempic in 2023 to reflect a risk of ileus.
Vision Loss (NAION)
The World Health Organization has warned that the use of semaglutides like Ozempic and Wegovy carries the risk of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). This is a rare but serious eye condition in which the blood flow to the optic nerve in one eye is disrupted, causing parts of that nerve to die and resulting in irreversible damage to the eye. Unlike a lot of other vision problems, NAION is not gradual. It can happen overnight; patients with this condition can simply wake up with a dark spot or blur in their vision.
Causes of NAION
AION occurs when the blood flow to the optic nerve is disrupted. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including:
- Low blood pressure (particularly during sleep)
- Narrowed arteries
- Blood clots
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Sleep apnea
- Smoking
Essentially, any condition that decreases the flow of blood can increase the risk of NAION.
Semaglutides’ Links to NAION
People who are taking Ozempic or Wegovy to treat type 2 diabetes may be four times more at risk of developing NAION. Researchers at Harvard examined data related to 16,827 patients who had received treatment at the Mass Eye and Ear Harvard teaching hospital over a period of six years.
Of those patients, 710 had type 2 diabetes, and 194 of them had been prescribed a semaglutide medication for treatment. 975 of the patients were overweight or obese, and of those, 361 were taking semaglutide. 8.9% of the patients taking semaglutide to treat diabetes developed NAION, while only 1.8% of those taking other medications developed the condition. Of the patients taking semaglutide for weight loss, 6.7% developed NAION, compared to 0.8% of people taking other weight management medications who suffered from NAION.
This study clearly links semaglutides to an increased risk of vision loss with NAION.
Why Are People Filing Semaglutide Lawsuits?
People with type 2 diabetes or needing help with weight management relied on semaglutides like Wegovy and Ozempic for help. They didn’t expect to risk life-changing side effects that could permanently alter their vision. Many across the country have therefore filed lawsuits against the drug manufacturers, alleging that they failed to properly warn patients and doctors of the risk of NAION and other severe side effects.
Failure To Warn
It’s a manufacturer’s responsibility to make sure that the public and medical professionals are adequately warned of any risks involved with taking their medications. Without full knowledge of the risks, no one can make informed decisions about whether a semaglutide medication is the right choice for them.
Some of the risks involved with taking semaglutides have been added to warning labels, such as the FDA adding ileus to Ozempic’s label. But others, especially the risk of NAION, remain off the label in the US, despite the research linking the two.
Risk of NAION
NAION in particular has become the focus of several lawsuits related to semaglutides. This is because, unlike some of the other risks, which may be temporary, NAION causes irreversible damage. While the stomach problems like ileus that are associated with semaglutides are also problematic, they may pass if you stop taking the semaglutide. NAION, on the other hand, is permanent vision loss.
Semaglutide Lawsuits
In 2025, there were semaglutide lawsuits filed at both the federal and state levels against Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy and Ozempic. The federal litigation includes 1,800 cases covering complaints ranging from gastrointestinal issues to NAION. The NAION cases may be separated into separate multidistrict litigation. At the state level, NAION lawsuits have been filed in New Jersey and in Florida, with plaintiffs alleging that they were not warned of the risk of vision loss from their medications. One woman in New Jersey stated that if she had known she could go blind from Ozempic, she’d never have taken it.
Are You Eligible for a Semaglutide Lawsuit?
If you took any of the following medications in the specified time frame and suffered from NAION as a result, you may have a case against the manufacturer of the drug:
- Ozempic (between 2018 and the present)
- Wegovy (between 2018 and the present)
- Saxenda (between 2015 and the present)
- Victoza (between 2010 and the present)
Farah & Farah’s defective drug attorneys are experienced in taking on large drug companies that put profits before people. We’re here to support you every step of the way and fight for the justice and compensation that you deserve for your hardship. We may not be able to make you completely whole again, but we will fight to get you as close as possible.
Don’t wait to contact us for a free consultation. Remember, you won’t have to pay anything unless your case is successful.
Farah & Farah’s legal team is highly experienced with defective drug lawsuits and can help you fight the company that manufactured the drug that harmed you. Don’t wait to get the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact Farah & Farah today for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless your case is successful.
FREE CASE REVIEW