An American who lost his sight after taking Ozempic for his diabetes is suing Novo Nordisk for what he says is a failure to warn patients of the possible association between the drug and the eye condition called NAION.
His lawsuit says the manufacturer had an obligation to warn patients that blindness could be a possible side effect.
NBC reports that Todd Engel (62), was prescribed Ozempic in 2023 to manage his type 2 diabetes, but about four months later, was diagnosed with nonarteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, a condition in which a loss of blood flow to the optic nerve causes sudden and irreversible vision loss.
NAION occurs in up to about 10 out of every 100 000 people over 50, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Experts say that while evidence is growing that there is an association between Ozempic and NAION, it’s still too early to know definitively if semaglutide raises the risk of developing the condition – especially because diabetes itself is a risk factor for NAION and other eye issues.
The lawsuit, filed in New Jersey, accuses Novo Nordisk of negligence and said it had a duty to provide patients and physicians with information about the risk of serious eye problems.
It said Novo Nordisk had access to information dating back as early as its Ozempic clinical trials that identified cases of NAION yet chose not to list the condition on its warning label.
In a statement, Novo Nordisk said NAION is not an adverse drug reaction to Ozempic and other GLP-1s. It said its benefit-risk profile of semaglutide “remains unchanged” after a thorough evaluation of studies from the University of Southern Denmark and an internal safety assessment, which didn’t suggest a causal relationship between GLP-1 use and NAION.
The company added that it takes reports of adverse events seriously.
“This also relates to eye conditions, which are well-known comorbidities for people living with diabetes. Any decision to start treatment with prescription-only medicines should be made in consultation with a healthcare professional who should do a benefit-risk evaluation for the patient in question, weighing up the benefits of treatment with the potential risks,” it added.
Engel first experienced loss of vision in one eye before eventually becoming legally blind in both. The eye problems forced him to resign from his job as a motor equipment operator for his county’s public works department, made it impossible for him to drive, and have changed how he interacts with family and friends, his attorney said.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Vision problems flagged after GLP-1 agonists – Utah survey
Nordisk slams study linking rare blindness to semaglutide