Home / Health / Weight-Loss Drug Linked to Vision Loss: Compensation Awarded
Weight-Loss Drug Linked to Vision Loss: Compensation Awarded
21 Nov
Summary
- Four patients in Denmark will receive compensation for eye conditions.
- The conditions stemmed from the use of popular weight-loss drugs.
- The ruling acknowledges a link between the drugs and vision damage.
An independent Danish body has ruled that four individuals are entitled to compensation after experiencing severe eye conditions potentially linked to the popular weight-loss and diabetes medications, Wegovy and Ozempic. These drugs are manufactured by Novo Nordisk.
The Danish Patient Compensation Association reviewed over 40 claims, ultimately awarding compensation to four out of five cases assessed so far. The condition, non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), results in a lack of blood supply to the optic nerve, leading to irreversible vision loss.
While acknowledging the difficulty in assessing these cases due to the drugs being new and patients having pre-existing risks for NAION, the association granted the four patients a total of 800,000 kroner. This amount could be adjusted based on the long-term impact on their lives. Separately, a European medical watchdog classified NAION as a "very rare" side effect of semaglutide, the active ingredient in both medications.
