4 days ago
NY man alleges vision loss after taking Ozempic: Details
The Brief
A 48-year-old man from Suffolk County blames Ozempic for partial vision loss in both eyes.
He, along with over 30 others who are suffering from the same side effect, are suing Ozempic's manufacturer.
The manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, states they believe "the benefit-risk profile of semaglutide remains unchanged."
LONG ISLAND - Michael, a 48-year-old from Suffolk County, is suing Ozempic's manufacturer for partial loss of vision.
What we know
Michael, who opted out of sharing his surname, says that the loss of sight began after his endocrinologist recommended he switch from Metformin to Ozempic to manage his type 2 diabetes.
Michael told FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg that he lost 10 pounds, but also some vision in both eyes.
"From the bottom right side of my eye… if I close the left eye, faces get blurry, I can't read my cell phone." He claims he had 20/20 vision before taking Ozempic.
Michael was diagnosed with NAION (Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy), which is essentially a stroke of the eye – it presents as an acute but painless loss of vision in one eye.
No treatment for NAION currently exists. One of the most recognized risk factors for NAION is diabetes.
However, two recent studies – one from the JAMA Network and the other out of Denmark – suggest there could be a link between the condition and taking semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in Ozempic.
Jason Goldstein of Parker Waichman LLP, a personal injury, mass tort and environmental law firm, has filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit against Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy, a similar medication.
Goldstein is representing more than 30 clients from 10 states suffering from the same side effect, including Michael.
"This lawsuit is about holding Novo Nordisk responsible for not warning doctors and their patients this condition could develop," Goldstein said.
Dig deeper
Over the past decade, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recalled over 14,000 drugs; rare side effects can be missed during clinical trials and may not be discovered until later on.
Goldberg spoke to Dr. Chetna Bakshi about how common reactions to medications like Ozempic could be. Bakshi's take is that more research is necessary.
"These medications come out, people take them, and it's not until 10 or 15 years later that we find other complications that weren't apparent in the initial clinical trials."
The other side
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk gave FOX 5 this statement:
"Patient safety is a top priority for Novo Nordisk, and we take all reports about adverse events from use of our medicines very seriously. After a thorough evaluation of studies from the University of Southern Denmark and Novo Nordisk's internal safety assessment, Novo Nordisk is of the opinion that the benefit-risk profile of semaglutide remains unchanged."
Goldstein's response: "It was a drug you were taking, that there were other options on the market, and no one warned you this could happen."
The Source
This article includes reporting from FOX 5 NY's Jodi Goldberg, as well as two medical studies from the JAMA Network and a Danish-Norwegian cohort.
