On 21 November, Denmark’s Compensation Association awarded payments to patients who suffered vision loss after using Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic.
Alarming side effects of weight‑loss drugs
Patients taking Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic have reported a rare but serious eye condition, non‑arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which can cause permanent vision loss. The European Medicines Agency has updated Novo Nordisk’s leaflet to note that NAION occurs in roughly one in ten thousand patients taking semaglutide.
Danish compensation payouts and company response
On 21 November, Denmark’s Patient Compensation Association issued opinions on five of 43 claims for vision loss allegedly linked to the drugs. Four patients received a total of 800,000 Danish krone (over $123,000) and one claim was dismissed. The compensation will be paid by the state. Novo Nordisk said it remains confident that the benefits of semaglutide outweigh the risks.
