Victims who were prescibed Elmiron may file an Elmiron lawsuit seeking comepensation for vision loss and eye damage. Elmiron has been on the market for more than a quarter of a century as the primary treatment for interstitial cystitis. Victims who used Elmiron often developed loss of night vision, eye damage, vision loss, pigmentary maculopathy, vision degradation, retinal injury and retinal hemorrhage. They claimed Elmiron was defective and that Janssen failed to warn them and their doctors of the risk of permanent vision damage. Those who take Elmiron may suffer from the following eye injuries:
- Maculopathy/macular retinopathy
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Retinal dystrophy
- Other retinal conditions
Elmiron lawsuit update
We are reviewing cases involving people who took Elmiron
We are reviewing cases involving people who took Elmiron® and later suffered permanent vision loss. Time is of the essence as we are coming up on the expiration of some statutes of limitations. Elmiron, also known as pentosan polysulfide sodium (PPS), is the only FDA-approved oral medication available to treat a chronic bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis (IC). IC causes bladder pain and inflammation. People taking Elmiron have reported eye damage, specifically pigmentary maculopathy. If you have taken Elmiron and have pigmentary maculopathy, you may have a claim. Please contact us today so we can review your claim.
Elmiron Is Intended to Treat a Painful Bladder Condition
Elmiron is the dominant drug on the market that is used to treat this condition. Elmiron is the name for pentosan polysulfate sodium. The drug works by creating a layer around the bladder that is meant to prevent irritation. Elmiron is intended to reduce the swelling around the bladder that causes the frequent need to urinate.
Elmiron is made by Janssen Pharmaceutical, which is a subsidiary of the giant Johnson & Johnson. Since so many people suffer from Interstitial cystitis, and Elmiron is the primary drug to treat the condition, Janssen has made quite a bit of money off the medication in the past quarter of a century. Although sales of Elmiron have fallen since news of the potential defects discussed below have emerged, the drug is still on the market, and Janssen is still earning healthy profits.
Elmiron treats Interstitial cystitis
Roughly 12 million people suffer from this condition. Interstitial cystitis is a condition of the bladder that causes both pain and the urge to frequently urinate. Those who have the condition are often in frequent discomfort. Many people who suffer from Interstitial cystitis liken it to a urinary tract infection without the actual infection. Thus, it is considered to be a chronic condition that cannot be cured.
October 2022 Elmiron lawsuit update
“According to the latest docket report (PDF) issued by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML), there are currently at least 1,774 complaints pending before Judge Martinotti that are awaiting trial, and the size of the litigation continues to grow as new Elmiron lawsuits are filed by former users diagnosed with vision problems. About lawsuits
“Despite some delays and modifications to the bellwether schedule in the Elmiron MDL, the first trial is still expected to begin in January 2023, to help gauge how juries are likely to respond to certain evidence testimony about permanent vision damage caused by Elmiron, which will be repeated throughout hundreds of cases pending in the federal court system.” Id.
Doctors Treating Eye Injuries Noticed a Pattern
There was a little warning to prepare the public for the potential that this long-standing medication may be dangerous. There were few indications that there were any potential problems with the drug for over two decades. However, some perceptive and meticulous doctors at Emory University were the first ones to spot the potential pattern that has led to these current lawsuits.
These doctors were treating patients who all had similar symptoms of abnormal damage to the macula region of their eyes. The physicians realized that the common factor among all of these patients was that they were taking Elmiron. The doctor has issued a preliminary report that detailed their finding that there may be a potential connection between Elmiron and macula damage.
Other Researchers Concluded that Elmiron Was Toxic
The Emory doctors’ findings were soon backed up by other research studies that reached a similar conclusion. Ophthalmologists presented a study at the American Academy of Ophthalmology in October 2019 that analyzed a far larger number of patients than the Emory doctors. This study calculated that about 25% of people who took Elmiron developed serious damage to the macula region. Based on these results, They concluded that there was significant toxicity and Elmiron that harmed patients’ vision.
Elmiron Causes Serious Eye Injuries
Those who take Elmiron may suffer from the following eye injuries:
- Maculopathy/macular retinopathy
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Retinal dystrophy
- Other retinal conditions
These are degenerative conditions that can cause a patient some or all of their eyesight. The damage may be irreversible. Some patients who are suffering from maculopathy may benefit from an extensive and delicate surgery that could help repair some of the damage.
Not only is Elmiron dangerous, But there is research that suggests that the drug simply does not work. One study found that Elmiron works no better than a placebo to give patients relief from Interstitial cystitis. Nevertheless, Janssen continues to sell Elmiron because there is still a market for it and the company makes a lot of money. Given the potential lack of efficacy, along with the potentially dangerous side effects, Janssen should give serious consideration to recall the drug permanently. Nevertheless, it is still commonly prescribed.
The Elmiron News Sparked a Wave of Lawsuits
Immediately after the news of Elmiron’s potential danger was released to the public, plaintiffs started to come forward alleging that they had taken Elmiron and suffered vision damage. Prior to that point, they had no idea that the medication that they had relied on to treat their bladder condition was connected with their eye injuries. In early 2022, the number of lawsuits in the case practically doubled. Nonetheless, given the number of people who have relied on Elmiron over the years, we expect more plaintiffs to come forward. Our lawyers can help you if you have taken Elmiron and have suffered vision damage.
The Elmiron cases have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation in federal court. As of this writing, Discovery has been completed, and the plaintiffs now have a common body of evidence for each of their cases. In December 2022, there were 1,839 cases pending as part of the multidistrict litigation. This number increased by more than 60 cases since the last recording of the totals in September 2022.
The First Elmiron Bellwether Case Is Soon to Go to Trial
March 2023 represents a major milestone in the Elmiron multidistrict litigation. At this time, the first bellwether case is scheduled to be tried in federal court in New Jersey. This case was initially supposed to go to trial in January 2023, but it was recently delayed by two months. The bellwether case is exactly as its name implies. If the plaintiff is successful in this case, and perhaps in several that follow it, the defendant may be more likely to settle the case. Not only that, but they may offer more generous settlement terms, knowing the full scope and extent of their legal liability.
However, if the plaintiff wins the initial bellwether case, it does not guarantee that future juries will see things the same way. Each attorney will present the facts differently, and each jury may take a different opinion of the defendant’s potential liability.
If the plaintiff wins the initial case, future plaintiffs may get a sense of what they may be due in a potential jury verdict or settlement. The amount of money that you could recover depends on the extent of the damage to your vision. If you have lost your vision entirely, our rough estimate of a potential settlement is around $1 million. For damage to your eyes that has affected your vision, you may expect something less than that. However, settlement amounts for any damage to your eyes would generally reach into the six figures.
Your Damages in an Elmiron Lawsuit
In a personal injury case, you are entitled to the following in damages:
- The complete cost of your medical care, including any prescription medications or surgery to repair vision damage
- Lost wages that include the time that you missed from work and any reduction in your earning capacity
- Pain and suffering that compensates you for the experience that you have had to endure on account of your injuries
- The loss of enjoyment of the life that you had before your eye injuries.
As always, we will continue to keep you updated about key developments in the Elmiron lawsuits in this space. In the meantime, if you or a loved one was injured by Elmiron, you have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit before the statute of limitation runs in your case. Our lawyers are standing by and ready to help you. As in every personal injury, hair relaxer lawsuit, mesothelioma lawsuit, weight loss drug lawsuit or Bard Powerport lawsuit case, you owe an attorney nothing unless you win your case.