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# FDA Hits Novo Nordisk Over Ozempic Ad
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/fda-hits-novo-nordisk-over-ozempic-ad/
- Published: 2026-03-03T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T13:34:42.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5160756

FDA has cited a Novo Nordisk direct-to-consumer advertisement for its blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic (semaglutide), calling the ad misleading and violating federal drug promotion rules. Specifically, the 2/26 [untitled letter](https://www.fda.gov/media/191387/download?attachment&ref=fdaweb.com) from CDER Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (OPDP) says a promotional video titled “Ozempic vs. – Random Guy OLV” falsely portrays the drug’s efficacy and implies superiority over competing GLP-1 therapies. OPDP concluded the ad “misbrands Ozempic” under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

The video features actors representing “Ozempic” and “other GLP-1s for type 2 diabetes,” with a third character listing benefits of the drug. The ad claims that “for adults with type 2 diabetes, Ozempic is the GLP-1 with the most FDA-approved uses,” while presenting the product as able to lower A1C, reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, and slow worsening chronic kidney disease.

According to FDA, the ad’s claim about having the “most FDA-approved uses” is misleading because the cardiovascular and kidney risk-reduction indications apply only to subsets of patients with additional conditions — specifically those with established cardiovascular disease or chronic kidney disease. Although the full indications appear later on screen, the agency says that disclosure does not adequately correct the impression created by the initial claim.

FDA also objects to what it describes as implicit superiority claims over other GLP-1 receptor agonists. In the ad, a character representing competing drugs is told he does not have “as many FDA-approved uses as Ozempic,” followed by a comedic exchange meant to dismiss the competitor. OPDP says the presentation, including the dialog and visual contrast between a brightly colored “Ozempic” character and a dull-colored competitor, creates a misleading impression that Ozempic is superior to other GLP-1 drugs.

The agency also criticizes the advertisement’s handling of safety information. According to the letter, the video does not clearly signal that risk information follows the main promotional segment, instead closing with branding and music that typically signal the end of an advertisement. The approach could minimize the perceived importance of safety information, FDA says.

Ozempic is approved in the U.S. to improve glycemic control in adults with Type 2 diabetes, reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with Type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease, and reduce the risk of kidney disease progression and cardiovascular death in patients with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.