Some who take GLP-1s are suffering serious side effects, but it's unclear how often

Key Points:

• Over 10% of Americans are using GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic, primarily for weight loss and diabetes, but these medications have been linked to serious side effects including optic neuropathy (NAION), which can cause vision loss.
• Todd Engel, a longtime heavy machinery operator, experienced sudden blindness in both eyes after using Ozempic, leading to a lawsuit against Novo Nordisk for failing to warn about the risk of NAION.
• Novo Nordisk maintains that serious side effects like NAION are extremely rare and that the FDA has not required label changes, while plaintiffs argue that warnings should be updated to reflect real-world risks, as has been done in Europe.
• The FDA's side effect reporting system is voluntary and unverified, complicating efforts to accurately assess the frequency and severity of adverse events related to GLP-1 drugs, especially amid increasing online sales and self-medication.
• Ongoing lawsuits involve thousands of plaintiffs alleging harms from GLP-1 drugs, with advocates calling for better patient warnings to prevent life-altering consequences like those suffered by Engel.