Ozempic Gastroparesis and Gastrointestinal Injury Lawsuit Updates August 2025

Key Takeaways

• Ozempic lawsuits have grown to 2,190 cases as of August 1, 2025, with monthly filing fluctuations since January.
• Clinical studies show GLP-1 users face 3.67 times higher risk of gastroparesis, with 69.3% of ER visits related to gastrointestinal issues.
• Courts rejected manufacturers’ preemption arguments, allowing fraud-based claims to proceed in the expanding MDL litigation.
• Severe symptoms documented include persistent vomiting, dental damage, intestinal blockages, and complications requiring surgical intervention.
• Judge Marston continues overseeing MDL 3072 with expert testimony hearings addressing causation and warning label adequacy scheduled.

Latest MDL Case Filing Statistics and Growth Trends

Thousands of Ozempic and related GLP-1 receptor agonist lawsuits continue to flood the Eastern District of Pennsylvania federal court, with the multidistrict litigation (MDL 3072) reaching 2,190 active cases as of August 1, 2025.

This represents significant case growth from July’s count of nearly 2,000 filings. The litigation’s filing trends reveal consistent acceleration, with April 2025 marking the sharpest single-month increase (500+ new cases). While monthly filing volumes fluctuate—from January’s 110 new cases to the 73 combined additions in May-June—the overall trajectory shows steady expansion. The majority of these consolidated cases involve patients suffering from gastroparesis injuries after taking semaglutide medications.

The MDL’s historical growth reflects this pattern: 1,090 cases in October 2024 doubled within sixty days, reaching 1,300 by December. Judge Karen Marston presides over this massive consolidation of claims since its establishment in February 2024. The court has streamlined proceedings through a master complaint to efficiently process the growing caseload while maintaining individual claim integrity. The first master complaint was officially filed in November 2024, serving as a foundation for subsequent legal actions. As we track this litigation together, we’re witnessing unprecedented consolidation of claims primarily focused on gastrointestinal injuries. Industry analysts now predict the Ozempic MDL could reach 10,000 cases as plaintiffs continue to file lawsuits alleging severe gastroparesis and other gastrointestinal injuries.

Key Medical Evidence Linking Ozempic to Gastroparesis

You’ll find the medical evidence linking Ozempic to gastroparesis primarily centers on clinical studies showing considerably higher gastroparesis rates (7.2 per 1000 person-years) among semaglutide users compared to alternative treatments. The medication’s mechanism of action intentionally slows gastric emptying, but this effect appears excessive in certain individuals, as confirmed by gastric emptying studies that objectively measure food transit time. Expert testimony consistently references the FDA’s 2023 safety label updates and emergency department data showing 69.3% of nearly 25,000 Ozempic-related ER visits resulted from severe gastrointestinal adverse reactions. Studies indicate users of GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic have a 3.67 times higher risk of developing stomach paralysis compared to non-users. Patients taking Ozempic frequently report severe digestive problems that significantly impact their quality of life. This alarming statistic has fueled the 1,685 active lawsuits against Novo Nordisk and other manufacturers of GLP-1 drugs as of April 2025.

Clinical Study Findings

As scientific evidence continues to mount, clinical studies have established compelling links between Ozempic (semaglutide) and gastroparesis development in a significant percentage of patients. A February 2024 study revealed 5.1% of GLP-1 drug participants experienced gastroparesis, with documented improvement when medication was discontinued.

Treatment comparisons highlight concerning clinical risks. An October 2023 analysis of 16 million patients (2006-2020) demonstrated GLP-1 agonist users faced higher gastroparesis, pancreatitis, and bowel obstruction risks compared to bupropion-naltrexone users. Gastric emptying studies now provide objective measurement of delayed gastric motility, offering quantifiable evidence of digestive complications.

You should know that 58% of patients reported gastrointestinal side effects in a 2015 study, with 20% discontinuing treatment due to intolerable symptoms—data that supports growing litigation concerns.

Mechanism of Action

The underlying mechanisms explaining why Ozempic leads to gastroparesis provide the foundational medical evidence supporting these lawsuits.

As a GLP-1 receptor agonist, semaglutide selectively binds to and activates GLP-1 receptors throughout your digestive system, triggering a cascade that greatly slows gastric emptying. This mechanism, while beneficial for glucose regulation, can progress to gastroparesis when gastric motility becomes excessively impaired.

Your digestive system’s natural peristaltic movements become disrupted as Ozempic alters gut hormonal balance, suppressing glucagon while modifying gastric hormone regulation. The resulting interference with vagus nerve control diminishes stomach muscle contractions, creating prolonged food retention. Multiple clinical trials reported that up to 20% of Ozempic users experienced nausea as a direct result of this gastric emptying delay. Ozempic delivers weeklong coverage with an elimination half-life of approximately 7 days, which contributes to sustained effects on gastric function. This delay in gastric emptying is a key component of Ozempic’s weight loss effect, as it extends feelings of fullness and reduces appetite. This physiological pathway disruption explains why many patients experience severe gastroparesis symptoms, as GLP-1 mechanisms designed for therapeutic benefit can inadvertently create sustained gastric emptying delays beyond normal digestive function.

The FDA originally approved Ozempic specifically for type 2 diabetes management, but its off-label use for weight loss has increased exposure to these gastroparesis risks. Healthcare providers must maintain vigilant monitoring for symptoms including persistent nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain to prevent severe complications.

Expert Testimony Evidence

Expert testimony from gastroenterologists and endocrinologists currently serves as the cornerstone of evidentiary support in Ozempic gastroparesis litigation. These specialists point to Sauer’s July 2015 study published in Hormone and Metabolic Research as pivotal evidence, documenting that 58% of patients reported GI side effects, with 20% discontinuing treatment due to intolerable symptoms. Note that this information is specifically tailored for U.S. residents only seeking legal counsel regarding medication injuries.

Expert Evidence Type	Prevalence	Regulatory Implications
GI Side Effect Reports	58%	Safety label updates
Treatment Discontinuation	20%	Post-market surveillance
Published Research	Peer-reviewed	FDA review protocols

Your case evaluation will likely incorporate this expert analysis alongside clinical findings and medical history. As litigation progresses, these scientific testimonies establish the causal relationship necessary for plaintiffs to demonstrate Ozempic’s direct role in developing gastroparesis, strengthening the collective position of affected patients seeking compensation.

Recent Court Rulings on Defense Motions to Dismiss

You’ll find the court’s recent rulings have consistently rejected the defense’s preemption arguments, allowing plaintiffs’ cases to proceed despite FDA approval of Ozempic’s warning labels. The judge has permitted fraud-based claims to survive dismissal motions, ruling that plaintiffs adequately alleged defendants knew of gastroparesis risks but failed to disclose them. These decisions represent significant setbacks for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, who had hoped to limit litigation exposure through early dismissal of non-warning claims. The MDL No. 3094 has now grown to include over 1,300 personal injury lawsuits being overseen by Judge Karen Marston in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The litigation continues to expand rapidly with approximately 2,000 GLP-1 lawsuits pending across the United States as of May 2025. Following a pivotal Daubert hearing scheduled for May 14, 2025, the court will assess the admissibility of expert testimony regarding causation in injury claims.

Preemption Arguments Rejected

Despite mounting preemption arguments from pharmaceutical defendants, multiple federal courts have recently rejected these defense strategies in GLP-1 gastroparesis litigation. Most importantly, Louisiana Federal Judge James Cain, Jr. denied Novo Nordisk’s motion to dismiss Jaclyn Bjorklund’s lawsuit, allowing claims regarding insufficient warnings to proceed. This preemption analysis signals judicial resistance to eliminating claims in early litigation stages.

Meanwhile, Judge Karen Marston has scheduled critical hearings for May 2025 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania MDL to evaluate federal preemption issues. The May 14th Rule 702 and May 20th evidentiary hearings will address expert testimony admissibility and warning label adequacy. These dismissal implications are significant as you follow this litigation, demonstrating courts’ methodical approach to defense arguments while maintaining plaintiffs’ opportunity to develop their cases through discovery.

Fraud Claims Survive

The fraud allegations against GLP-1 manufacturers have withstood significant legal challenges, complementing the preemption victories discussed above. Judge Marston is currently weighing Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly’s January 2025 motion to dismiss fraud-based claims from the master complaint, with plaintiffs vigorously defending these allegations in their March opposition.

Your case benefits from plaintiffs’ leadership demonstrating how manufacturers allegedly marketed GLP-1 drugs as a “magic pill” while downplaying risks—conduct that extends beyond mere failure-to-warn theories. The legal implications are substantial: defendants seek to limit litigation solely to warning claims, but plaintiffs contend the aggressive marketing scheme and alleged disregard for safety justify additional causes of action including fraud and negligent misrepresentation. The MDL’s expansion to nearly 2,000 cases underscores the strength of these claims. As of August 2025, the litigation continues to grow with over 2,190 claims consolidated in the federal GLP-1 MDL.

May 2025 Expert Testimony Hearings and Outcomes

Following the initial phase of discovery, May 2025 marked a pivotal turning point in the Ozempic litigation when Judge Michael Honeywell convened a critical Rule 702 evidentiary hearing. The May 14th proceedings focused exclusively on expert testimony regarding causation between GLP-1 medications and gastroparesis.

Defendants mounted aggressive Expert Witness Challenges against plaintiffs’ key specialists, Dr. Daniel Raines and Dr. Eliot Siegel, arguing their methodologies failed Daubert standards. The defense strategy centered on discrediting diagnoses made without formal gastric emptying studies, potentially eliminating hundreds of claims.

The Hearing Outcomes considerably shaped the litigation landscape, as Judge Honeywell’s ruling addressed the admissibility of the Bradford Hill criteria for establishing causation. This scientific framework became the battleground for determining whether plaintiff experts could reliably connect Ozempic use to gastroparesis development without specialized testing protocols.

Diagnostic Standards for Gastroparesis Claims

As expert testimony hearings concluded in May 2025, attention shifted to the specific diagnostic requirements that define legitimate gastroparesis claims within the Ozempic litigation framework.

The court now requires gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) as the gold standard for establishing valid claims, with strict adherence to the ACG’s diagnostic criteria. You’ll need documentation showing greater than 60% meal retention at 2 hours or more than 10% at 4 hours following standardized protocol. Research shows that only 58% of institutions follow the recommended 4-hour protocol, which could impact claim validity.

Your claim must demonstrate proper testing protocols were followed, including the discontinuation of interfering medications and completion of the full 4-hour assessment with measurements at prescribed intervals. Mayo Clinic specialists recommend upper GI endoscopy to rule out other conditions that may mimic gastroparesis symptoms. Shorter scintigraphic studies may yield false negatives and are not recommended for establishing gastroparesis diagnosis. Alternative diagnostic methods like breath tests may supplement but cannot replace GES findings. Remember, symptom-based diagnoses without objective documentation of delayed gastric emptying will be rejected.

Warning Label Preemption Challenges

Centered around federal preemption principles, the warning label challenges facing Novo Nordisk have become increasingly complex as plaintiffs argue that the manufacturer failed to adequately warn consumers about gastroparesis risks despite possessing superior knowledge.

The February 2025 FDA label updates, which added warnings about severe pancreatitis and kidney injury, create significant labeling implications for cases filed before these changes. Litigation strategies now focus on whether these belated modifications undermine Novo Nordisk’s preemption defense.

You’ll want to monitor the vital May 2025 Rule 702 evidentiary hearing, where the court will address both preemption issues and expert testimony admissibility. With nearly 2,000 lawsuits already pending and potentially tens of thousands more anticipated, the court’s determination on warning label adequacy will dramatically shape this expanding litigation landscape.

Patient Testimony and Documented Injury Patterns

While warning label challenges present substantial legal hurdles, patient testimony reveals the concrete human impact of Ozempic-related gastroparesis. Patient experiences consistently document severe vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain persisting beyond four weeks—symptoms requiring significant medical intervention. The FDA added explicit intestinal blockage warnings in September 2023 that were previously unreported by the manufacturer. Lawsuits are now being consolidated into Multidistrict Litigation to streamline the pre-trial process for affected patients.

Clinical Manifestation	Injury Documentation
Prolonged vomiting	Dental damage/tooth loss
Delayed gastric emptying	Hardened undigested food
Intestinal obstruction	Emergency surgical intervention
Severe dehydration	IV-fluid treatment necessity
Persistent gastroparesis	Long-term feeding tube dependence

The 43-year-old Kentucky plaintiff exemplifies the pattern emerging across cases, with combined GLP-1 usage (Ozempic/Trulicity) correlating with increased severity. Most concerning are hospitalization rates for intestinal blockages, with surgical intervention required in severe cases—outcomes plaintiffs argue weren’t adequately communicated in product warnings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Continue Taking Ozempic While Participating in a Lawsuit?

You can continue Ozempic while pursuing legal action, but consult your physician about medication interactions and document all symptoms. Your attorney should address related legal considerations immediately.

What Compensation Amounts Have Been Awarded in Settled Cases?

No Ozempic cases have settled yet. The projected settlement amounts range from $200,000-$500,000 for top-tier cases, with compensation types including medical costs, lost wages, and pain/suffering damages.

How Long After Stopping Ozempic Can Gastroparesis Symptoms Persist?

After discontinuation, your gastroparesis symptom duration typically spans 2-4 weeks, though some cases persist up to 5 weeks. Treatment options should be considered for symptoms extending beyond one month.

Are Class Action Lawsuits Available Instead of MDL Participation?

While class action eligibility remains theoretical, no certification has been reported. You can explore individual litigation alternatives, though MDL benefits include streamlined discovery and increased settlement leverage for your gastroparesis claim.

Will My Health Insurance Cover Gastroparesis Treatments Related to Ozempic?

Your insurance coverage for gastroparesis treatments depends on your plan type, prescribed purpose, and medical necessity documentation. Treatment options may be partially covered, but off-label Ozempic use often creates significant coverage limitations.

References

• https://www.dolmanlaw.com/ozempic-stomach-paralysis-lawsuit/
• https://lawsuitlegalnews.com/ozempic-lawsuit/
• https://www.lawsuit-information-center.com/ozempic-gastroparesis-lawsuit.html
• https://www.robertkinglawfirm.com/personal-injury/ozempic-lawsuit/
• https://www.motleyrice.com/diabetes-lawsuits/ozempic
• https://www.millerandzois.com/products-liability/drugs/ozempic-gallbladder-lawsuit/
• https://www.consumershield.com/product-liability/ozempic/updates
• https://www.darrow.ai/resources/ozempic-lawsuit
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11966946/
• https://www.injuriesandaccidents.com/can-ozempic-cause-gastroparesis/