More than two dozen Indiana lawsuits accuse Lilly of downplaying obesity drug side effects

IL file photo

At least 26 patients have filed lawsuits in Marion County against Eli Lilly and Co. over its marketing of GLP-1 drugs Trulicity and Mounjaro, claiming the diabetes and obesity treatments have had adverse side effects that the company downplayed or failed to include in its advertising. 

The lawsuits have been filed over the past two weeks in Marion Superior Court. Seventeen of the complaints also name Lilly competitor Novo Nordisk Inc. as a defendant and make similar allegations about the marketing of its GLP-1 drug Ozempic.

The patients claim the GLP-1 drugs produced severe side effects, including gastroparesis, severe vomiting and dehydration, severe diarrhea and constipation, and in some cases, multiple hospitalizations.  

The lawsuits state that while Indianapolis-based Lilly and Denmark-based Novo Nordisk have acknowledged the gastrointestinal side effects of these medications, they have allegedly downplayed the “nature, duration, extent, and seriousness” of them and have failed to warn about other adverse effects.  

Lilly and Novo Nordisk both issued responses to the lawsuits, telling The Indiana Lawyer that patient safety is their top priority and that their drugs have been widely tested for safety and include FDA-approved warnings.

“Lilly is committed to making life better for people living with diabetes through developing medicines like Mounjaro and Trulicity that change the way healthcare providers can treat this disease,” Lilly said in a written statement. “Patient safety is Lilly’s top priority, and we actively engage in monitoring, evaluating, and reporting safety information for all our medicines. Our medicines’ labels include robust, FDA-approved warnings.”

Novo Nordisk said it remains confident in the benefit-risk profile of its GLP-1 medicines, when they are used consistent with their indications and product labeling.

“Novo Nordisk believes that the allegations in the lawsuits are without merit,” the company said in a statement, “and we intend to vigorously defend against these claims.”

All of the plaintiffs in the Marion County lawsuits are represented by attorneys Edward Mulligan and Jonathon Knoll with CohenMalad LLP. The attorneys did not immediately respond to The Indiana Lawyer’s request for comment.

Lilly and Novo Nordisk also face scores of similar lawsuits in federal court, which have been consolidated as multidistrict litigation in Pennsylvania’s Eastern District. Novo Nordisk’s U.S. headquarters is in Plainsboro, New Jersey.

GLP-1 medications mimic the activities of physiologic GLP-1, a gut hormone that binds to receptors in the body and notably activates them in the pancreas to stimulate the release of insulin and the suppression of glucagon, according to the complaints. These drugs are prescribed for patients to control blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes, reduce cardiac risk, and aid in chronic weight management. 

Lilly’s website lists several side effects for Mounjaro, including diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, which “may cause a loss of fluids (dehydration).” It also lists severe stomach problems as a possibility, as seen in other patients who have used the product.

Novo Nordisk’s website lists dehydration from diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting and severe stomach problems as side effects of using Ozempic.

The lawsuits claim that the drug companies’ marketing campaigns have “altered the public understanding of weight loss treatment,” creating the assumption that GLP-1 medicines are “miracle drugs.”

The plaintiffs say they would not have taken drugs had they been provided a clear and full warning of their true risks. Their lawsuits seek compensatory and punitive damages.

The popularity of GLP-1 drugs has exploded in recent years, driving significant growth at Lilly and Novo Nordisk.

In the first quarter of 2025, Lilly’s Mounjaro generated $3.84 billion in revenue, compared to the company’s overall quarterly revenue of $12.73 billion.