Published July 23, 2026
In mid-December 2025, the US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation created a new federal multidistrict litigation, MDL No. 3163, to consolidate lawsuits alleging that Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs caused non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION — a rare condition involving sudden, often permanent vision loss caused by disrupted blood flow to the optic nerve. The panel assigned the litigation to Judge Karen S. Marston in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The lawsuits center on claims that semaglutide-based drugs, including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus, can trigger NAION and that manufacturers didn't adequately warn patients and doctors of the risk. Interest in the connection grew after a 2024 study published in JAMA Ophthalmology reported an association between semaglutide use and increased NAION risk, research that plaintiffs' attorneys have pointed to as supporting the new wave of claims.
Notably, the JPML chose to stand up NAION claims as their own MDL rather than folding them into the existing GLP-1 gastroparesis and intestinal injury litigation, MDL No. 3094, which already includes thousands of cases and is also overseen by Judge Marston. The panel's reasoning was that vision-loss claims involve different medical evidence, causation theories, and expert testimony than gastrointestinal injury claims, even though both proceedings involve overlapping drugs and defendants. As of early May 2026, MDL 3163 had roughly 86 pending cases — a small fraction of the size of the gastroparesis MDL, but a number that plaintiffs' firms expect to grow as awareness of the litigation spreads.
The NAION MDL remains in early pretrial proceedings, with discovery, scientific evidence, and expert testimony still being developed. No bellwether trial date has been set, and no settlement has been reached. If you or a family member experienced sudden vision loss after taking Ozempic, Wegovy, or a similar GLP-1 medication, a free eligibility review can help determine whether you may have a claim. See Atumio's Ozempic/GLP-1 Lawsuit page or start a free case review.