Big pharmaceutical companies, often referred to as “Big Pharma,” are currently facing a wide array of lawsuits that extend far beyond the well-known controversies surrounding autism and vaccines. While those earlier disputes captured significant public attention, the scope of legal challenges confronting these companies today is much broader and involves multiple drugs, practices, and regulatory issues.
One of the most prominent areas of litigation involves the class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which include popular medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. These drugs, initially developed for diabetes and later marketed for weight loss, have been linked to serious side effects such as gastroparesis (a condition that affects stomach emptying) and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a form of sudden vision loss. As of mid-2025, there are thousands of lawsuits pending in multidistrict litigation (MDL) against manufacturers like Novo Nordisk, alleging that these companies failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about these risks. The litigation is growing rapidly, with new claims emerging regularly, including some high-profile state court cases involving severe injuries like irreversible blindness[1][4][5].
Beyond drug safety, Big Pharma is also embroiled in legal battles over pricing and access to medications. For example, Novartis Pharmaceuticals is suing the state of Rhode Island to block a new law designed to protect the federal 340B drug discount program. This program allows hospitals and clinics serving underserved populations to purchase medications at reduced prices, helping them provide care to uninsured or low-income patients. Novartis argues that the law unfairly restricts insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, but critics say the lawsuit threatens access to affordable medications for vulnerable communities[2].
Another significant wave of lawsuits targets long-standing product liability issues. The talcum powder litigation against Johnson & Johnson remains one of the largest multidistrict litigations in the country, with tens of thousands of cases alleging that prolonged use of talc-based products caused ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. Despite attempts by Johnson & Johnson to resolve these claims through bankruptcy strategies, the litigation continues actively in federal courts[3].
Similarly, defective medical devices such as hernia mesh patches have generated thousands of lawsuits against manufacturers like C.R. Bard. These cases claim that faulty design or manufacturing led to severe complications requiring additional surgeries or causing chronic pain. While some settlements have been reached, new cases continue to be filed, keeping this litigation active[3].
