Prescription drug litigation
GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drug Lawsuits: Where the Litigation Stands
Thousands of lawsuits claim that drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro caused serious stomach and bowel injuries or vision loss. Here is what the federal cases actually cover, what is alleged rather than proven, and where things stood as of fall 2026.
By Michael A. Licatesi · Published · Updated
The short answer
- Federal GLP-1 injury cases are consolidated in two multidistrict litigations (MDLs) in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania before Judge Karen S. Marston: MDL 3094 for gastrointestinal injuries and MDL 3163 for a type of vision loss called NAION.
- As of September 1, 2026, the federal panel that oversees MDLs reported 4,022 actions pending in MDL 3094 and 216 in MDL 3163.
- These are allegations. The manufacturers deny them, and the cited court summaries do not establish that the drugs caused any particular person's injury. The court announced a September 14-18, 2026 evidentiary hearing on expert testimony for two cross-cutting issues in MDL 3094.
- Do not stop or change a prescribed medication because of a lawsuit. Talk to the clinician who prescribed it.
This article explains public court and FDA records as of the dates shown. It is not medical advice, and it does not mean any particular person has a claim.
The drugs involved and what FDA approved them for
These medicines are not interchangeable. They contain different active ingredients, work on different hormone receptors and are approved for different uses. The summary below comes from the current FDA labeling published on DailyMed.
Ozempic (injection)
Active ingredient and type Semaglutide; GLP-1 receptor agonist (Novo Nordisk)
Approved uses include Blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, plus label-listed cardiovascular and kidney risk reduction in certain adults with type 2 diabetes
Wegovy
Active ingredient and type Semaglutide; GLP-1 receptor agonist (Novo Nordisk)
Approved uses include Weight management with diet and activity, and reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events in certain adults
Rybelsus
Active ingredient and type Oral semaglutide; GLP-1 receptor agonist (Novo Nordisk)
Approved uses include Blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, among other label uses
Saxenda
Active ingredient and type Liraglutide; GLP-1 receptor agonist (Novo Nordisk)
Approved uses include Weight reduction with diet and activity in certain adults and in patients aged 12 and older
Mounjaro
Active ingredient and type Tirzepatide; GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist (Eli Lilly)
Approved uses include Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes in adults and in patients aged 10 and older
Zepbound
Active ingredient and type Tirzepatide; GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist (Eli Lilly)
Approved uses include Weight management with diet and activity, among other label uses
Trulicity
Active ingredient and type Dulaglutide; GLP-1 receptor agonist (Eli Lilly)
Approved uses include Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes in adults and in patients aged 10 and older, and cardiovascular risk reduction in certain adults
| Medicine | Active ingredient and type | Approved uses include |
|---|---|---|
| Ozempic (injection) | Semaglutide; GLP-1 receptor agonist (Novo Nordisk) | Blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, plus label-listed cardiovascular and kidney risk reduction in certain adults with type 2 diabetes |
| Wegovy | Semaglutide; GLP-1 receptor agonist (Novo Nordisk) | Weight management with diet and activity, and reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events in certain adults |
| Rybelsus | Oral semaglutide; GLP-1 receptor agonist (Novo Nordisk) | Blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes, among other label uses |
| Saxenda | Liraglutide; GLP-1 receptor agonist (Novo Nordisk) | Weight reduction with diet and activity in certain adults and in patients aged 12 and older |
| Mounjaro | Tirzepatide; GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist (Eli Lilly) | Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes in adults and in patients aged 10 and older |
| Zepbound | Tirzepatide; GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist (Eli Lilly) | Weight management with diet and activity, among other label uses |
| Trulicity | Dulaglutide; GLP-1 receptor agonist (Eli Lilly) | Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes in adults and in patients aged 10 and older, and cardiovascular risk reduction in certain adults |
Labels change. Always check the current label with your prescriber or pharmacist.
What the federal litigation covers
MDL 3094 (gastrointestinal injuries). The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation created this MDL on February 2, 2024. The court's MDL 3094 page describes the cases as personal injury actions over Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus (Novo Nordisk) and Trulicity and Mounjaro (Eli Lilly). The panel described the shared questions as whether the companies knew or should have known their products can cause gastroparesis and other gastrointestinal injuries, whether they adequately warned patients or prescribing doctors, and whether they made false, misleading or incomplete safety representations. The page notes that the defendants deny these allegations.
MDL 3163 (NAION). On December 15, 2025, the panel created a second MDL for claims that GLP-1 medicines caused non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a form of sudden vision loss. The court's MDL 3163 page lists Ozempic, Wegovy and Saxenda (Novo Nordisk) and Trulicity (Eli Lilly). It is also before Judge Marston.
Injuries claimed
MDL 3094 Gastroparesis and other gastrointestinal injuries
MDL 3163 NAION (sudden optic nerve vision loss)
Created
MDL 3094 February 2, 2024
MDL 3163 December 15, 2025
Court and judge
MDL 3094 E.D. Pa., Judge Karen S. Marston (originally assigned to Judge Gene E.K. Pratter)
MDL 3163 E.D. Pa., Judge Karen S. Marston
Actions pending, Sept. 1, 2026
MDL 3094 4,022
MDL 3163 216
Status noted by the court
MDL 3094 Rule 702 expert-evidence hearing on cross-cutting issues 2 and 3, September 14-18, 2026
MDL 3163 Pretrial proceedings
| Item | MDL 3094 | MDL 3163 |
|---|---|---|
| Injuries claimed | Gastroparesis and other gastrointestinal injuries | NAION (sudden optic nerve vision loss) |
| Created | February 2, 2024 | December 15, 2025 |
| Court and judge | E.D. Pa., Judge Karen S. Marston (originally assigned to Judge Gene E.K. Pratter) | E.D. Pa., Judge Karen S. Marston |
| Actions pending, Sept. 1, 2026 | 4,022 | 216 |
| Status noted by the court | Rule 702 expert-evidence hearing on cross-cutting issues 2 and 3, September 14-18, 2026 | Pretrial proceedings |
Counts are from the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation's pending-dockets report dated September 1, 2026. They change as cases are filed, dismissed or resolved. No settlements or trial verdicts are reported here.
Allegations, labels and denials are different things
It helps to keep three sources apart:
- What plaintiffs allege. Lawsuits claim the drugs caused injuries such as gastroparesis, bowel obstruction or NAION and that the warnings were inadequate. These are claims that must be proven.
- What the FDA labels say. The Ozempic injection label lists ileus and intestinal obstruction among adverse reactions reported after approval. The Wegovy label states that it is not recommended in patients with severe gastroparesis. Reports collected after approval do not by themselves establish that a drug caused a particular person's injury.
- What the manufacturers say. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly deny the allegations, as the court's MDL page notes.
Whether a drug caused a specific injury is a medical and legal question decided on the evidence in each case, often with expert testimony. The announced September 2026 hearing concerned the admissibility of expert evidence, not a trial verdict on an individual claim.
Do not stop a medication on your own
If you take one of these medicines and have severe stomach pain, persistent vomiting or sudden vision changes, contact your prescriber or seek medical care. Do not stop, skip or change a prescribed medicine because of a lawsuit or an article; talk to the clinician who prescribed it. You or your clinician can also report side effects to the FDA through MedWatch.
Step 1
Gather your records
- Prescription and pharmacy records showing which medicine, dose and dates you took
- Medical records for the diagnosis, including imaging, tests, hospital and specialist records
- Notes of when symptoms started and how they changed
- Medication guides or labeling you received, and any adverse-event reports you or your doctor made
- Proof of medical bills and missed work
Step 2
Understand the New York deadlines
In New York, most personal injury lawsuits must be started within three years under CPLR 214. For injuries caused by the latent effects of exposure to a substance, CPLR 214-c generally starts the three years from when the injury was discovered or should have been discovered with reasonable diligence, and it has further rules and exceptions about discovering the cause. Wrongful death claims have their own two-year deadline under EPTL 5-4.1. Which rule applies depends on the facts, so get your timeline reviewed early.
Frequently asked questions
The federal cases are organized as multidistrict litigations, not a single class action. Each person's case remains an individual lawsuit, and the MDL coordinates pretrial proceedings. MDL 3094 covers gastrointestinal injuries and MDL 3163 covers NAION.
No liability findings or settlements are reported in the public records cited here. The manufacturers deny the allegations, and the court announced a September 14-18, 2026 evidentiary hearing on expert testimony for two cross-cutting issues in MDL 3094.
Not exactly. Their active ingredient, tirzepatide, acts on both GIP and GLP-1 receptors, according to FDA labeling, while semaglutide, liraglutide and dulaglutide are GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine on your own. Talk to the clinician who prescribed it, and seek medical care for severe or sudden symptoms.
Generally three years for personal injury, but CPLR 214-c can change when the clock starts for latent injuries from exposure to a substance, and wrongful death claims have a two-year deadline. The right deadline depends on the facts.
Related guides
Sources
- U.S. District Court, E.D. Pa.: MDL 3094 (GLP-1 RAs, GI injuries)
- U.S. District Court, E.D. Pa.: MDL 3163 (GLP-1 RAs, NAION)
- JPML transfer order, MDL 3094 (filed Feb. 2, 2024)
- JPML transfer order, MDL 3163 (filed Dec. 15, 2025)
- JPML pending MDL dockets report (Sept. 1, 2026)
- DailyMed: current FDA drug labeling
- FDA MedWatch
- N.Y. CPLR 214
- N.Y. CPLR 214-c
- N.Y. EPTL 5-4.1
Questions about a GLP-1 injury?
We can review your prescription and medical records and explain how the litigation and New York deadlines may apply. The consultation is free.