Four Danish Patients Receive Compensation Over Vision Loss Linked to Novo Nordisk Drugs

Danish authorities have compensated four patients who suffered vision loss after using Novo Nordisk's widely prescribed drugs Wegovy and Ozempic, the Danish Patient Compensation association announced on Friday. Both medications, which contain the active ingredient semaglutide, are commonly used to treat obesity and diabetes but have been rarely linked to a serious eye condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

The European Medicines Agency's safety committee highlighted this rare side effect in June, warning that NAION can lead to permanent damage to vision. Following this, Novo Nordisk updated the warning labels of Wegovy and Ozempic to reflect the risk, estimated to affect approximately 1 in 10,000 patients.

Out of 43 claims filed to the Danish Patient Compensation association regarding vision loss potentially connected to these drugs, five decisions have been finalized. Four claimants were awarded a total of 800,000 Danish crowns (about $123,253), while one claim was rejected. The association operates independently but awards compensation funded by the state.

The decision-making process was described as "very complex," involving expert assessments from a specialist in optic nerve conditions.

A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk stated, "Patient safety is our top priority. We continue to believe that the benefit-risk profile of semaglutide remains favorable."