According to BT, citing Ritzau, recent data indicates that an increasing number of patients in Denmark are receiving financial compensation after contracting a serious eye disease known as Naion as a result of using Novo Nordisk drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic, according to new figures released by the Danish Patient Compensation Authority (Patienterstatningen), which is responsible for deciding on these cases.
Increase in compensation claims due to a rare eye disease
Updated figures show that 67 patients have applied for compensation after believing they contracted Nine disease as a side effect of using the two drugs mentioned. The Patient Compensation Authority has so far examined 19 cases, awarded compensation to 11 patients, rejected 8 applications, and 48 cases are still being processed, according to data from the Patienterstatningen Authority.
The nature of the disease and its effect on those infected
The disease affects the front part of the optic nerve and may lead to vision loss or visual field defects. Nine disease is a rare and serious condition that can cause permanent visual deterioration, according to European medical sources and health reports.
Drug use and its therapeutic role
Doctors have used the drug Wegovy to treat obesity, while they have used the drug Ozempic to treat diabetes. Both contain the active ingredient semaglutid, a substance associated with treating diabetes and reducing weight, according to European health authorities.
Rare side effects and low incidence rates
The data showed that Nine disease as a side effect affects less than one patient in every ten thousand users of Wegovy, Ozempic or Rybelsus, all products of Novo Nordisk.
European review of drug safety
At the end of 2024, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced that it would review two studies that suggested a possible link between the use of the aforementioned drugs and Nine syndrome. In mid-2025, the European Medicines Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) concluded that the disease was a rare side effect of the active ingredient semaglutid, and several months later this warning was added to the drug information leaflets for the medications in question. ([patienterstatningen.dk][1])
Beginning of issuing the first compensation decisions
In November, the Danish Patient Compensation Authority (Patienterstatningen) began issuing its first compensation decisions, after the disease was included in the list of rare side effects, allowing affected patients to formally submit their claims for compensation under Danish law.
Novo Nordisk's response to the reports
Novo Nordisk also announced that it takes all reports of side effects to its drugs "very seriously," adding that its assessment, based on all available data sources, concluded that the benefit-risk balance for drugs containing semaglutid remains positive, an assessment that compares therapeutic benefits with potential risks.
Conditions for obtaining compensation under Danish law
The Danish Patient Compensation Authority (Patienterstatningen) confirms that patients do not automatically receive compensation, as each case is assessed individually, and it must be «highly likely» that the drug caused the side effect. The state is responsible for paying compensation to patients whose claims are accepted under the applicable legal system.
Scientific background on the disease and health risks
Medical research indicates that NAION disease is often caused by impaired blood flow to the optic nerve and may lead to sudden and painless loss of vision. It may occur spontaneously in the elderly or those with risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure, which makes assessing the relationship between the disease and the medication require careful analysis of each case.
