Elmiron Lawsuit Attorneys

Elmiron, also known as pentosan polysulfate sodium, has been the subject of numerous lawsuits. Victims claim they suffered serious eye or vision damage after using this drug.

In June 2020, Janssen Pharmaceuticals—the maker of Elmiron—updated the drug’s label. The new warning stated that Elmiron could cause pigment changes in the retina. These changes may lead to blurred vision, light sensitivity, and reading difficulties.

The company now advises patients taking Elmiron to have regular eye exams.

The problem is that this warning has come too late for those who have been using Elmiron since before June 2020. Furthermore, the label of the drug also states that users who stop taking Elmiron can have their eyesight worsen and that any eyesight changes may be irreversible.

What is Elmiron and What Does it do?

Doctors prescribe Elmiron to treat chronic bladder pain and discomfort caused by interstitial cystitis (IC), also known as “painful bladder syndrome.” There is currently no known cure for IC.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Elmiron in 1996. It remains the only oral medication specifically approved to treat IC symptoms.

Elmiron does not cure IC, but it can help relieve symptoms. It may take 3 to 6 months of use before patients notice improvement. Some users have taken the drug for 15 to 20 years. Researchers are now closely examining Elmiron for its possible link to serious eye damage.

Victims who took this drug filed lawsuits, claiming that the manufacturer did not inform them about the connection between the drug and severe eye damage.

If you or a loved one has taken Elmiron and has since suffered any vision damage or eye injuries, you could have a valid case against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

What are the Side Effects of Using Elmiron?

There has been a recent string of studies researching Elmiron and how it may affect patients who use it. Using Elmiron has now been associated with the following diseases:

• Retinal maculopathy
• Macular degeneration
• Pigmentary maculopathy

Other side effects that have been noted include:

• Trouble reading
• Blurred vision
• Warped vision
• Pain in the eye
• Trouble adjusting to dark lighting
• Vision disturbances
• Vision loss
• Sleep disorders
• Hair loss (alopecia)
• Diarrhea
• Headaches
• Bruising
• Gastroesophageal reflux
• Skin rash

The FDA encourages anyone using prescription drugs and medical devices to report any unexpected or adverse side effects. You can report your findings online by completing a MedWatch Voluntary Reporting Form.

You may be entitled to financial compensation if you have developed vision problems after taking Elmiron. Call our Elmiron Lawsuit Attorneys at Whittel & Melton today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online to learn more about your legal options.

Will Elmiron Cause Users to go Blind?

Researchers have linked the bladder drug Elmiron to macular degeneration, a disease that can cause permanent vision loss.

In 2019 a study was conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology on 91 patients who had been using the drug Elmiron for more than 15 years to test for vision problems amongst users. Of the 91 patients studied, 22 patients were found to have retinal damage associated with macular degeneration.

In 2018, the American Academy of Ophthalmology published an article documenting the studies and treatment of 6 patients at Emory Eye Center from 2015-2017 who suffered pigmentary maculopathy after prolonged use of Elmiron for IC. In 2019 it was found that 10 more patients at Emory Eye Center had been diagnosed with this same issue. The patients involved in the study complained of dim vision, loss of vision in low light settings, trouble reading and overall near-vision difficulty.

Can Elmiron Users Switch to a Different Drug?

Currently, Elmiron is the only FDA-approved drug for the treatment of IC. Many doctors attempt to treat Interstitial Cystitis (IC) through a combination of methods. These include changes to diet and the use of over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen.

What Types of Compensation Can I Recover in an Elmiron Lawsuit?

If you or someone you care for has taken the drug Elmiron and has suffered any eye damage or some form of maculopathy, our Elmiron Lawsuit Attorneys at Whittel & Melton want to help you recover the following financial compensation for your suffering:

• Past, present, and future medical bills related to the treatment of your injuries.
• Past, present, and future pain and suffering related to your injuries, both physical and mental.
• Lost wages of any kind.
• All other economic losses associated with your injuries.
• Punitive damages, if appropriate. These are damages that seek to punish the defendant for their outrageous conduct and deter them from any future related incidents.

Recent Elmiron Lawsuits

A Nevada woman filed a complaint against Janssen Pharmaceuticals on May 4, 2020, stating that her use of Elmiron resulted in the retinal disease maculopathy. This woman started using Elmiron in 2012 and her lawsuit claims that she began suffering from vision loss after taking the drug for a total of 6 years.

Another woman in upstate New York filed a claim against Janssen Pharmaceuticals in May 2020 stating that she used the drug Elmiron daily for 17 years to help with IC. She was diagnosed with maculopathy and retinal damage in 2020.

A Florida woman filed a lawsuit in August 2020 against Janssen Pharmaceuticals for maculopathy in both eyes as a result of using Elmiron. Her lawsuit states that use of the drug Elmiron has resulted in blurred vision, trouble seeing in dim or dark lighting, difficulty reading, difficulty seeing colors, along with several other vision problems.

While lawsuits are starting to flood in involving Janssen Pharmaceuticals and their drug Elmiron, there have not been any settlements as of yet. These lawsuits can take years to resolve and involve teams of lawyers dedicated countless hours to figure out exactly what happened and how it could have been prevented.

The first step in the process of large group settlements is to combine these cases in federal court for discovery purposes, which is known as Multi-District Litigation (MDL). An MDL for Elmion was established in federal court in New Jersey in December 2020.

As of January 2021, more than 80 Elmiron lawsuits have been filed in total. We expect numerous other eye injury lawsuits stemming from Elmiron use to come about in the months ahead.

Contact Our Dangerous Drugs Lawyers at Whittel & Melton Today – 866-608-5529

Our Elmiron Lawsuit Attorneys at Whittel & Melton are currently accepting new Elmiron eye and vision damages cases. If you took Elmiron for a period of at least 6 months or longer and suffered any eye or vision problems related to maculopathy or macular retinopathy, macular degeneration, retinal dystrophy, or any other retinal conditions, we strongly urge you to call us at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation. We can explain if you meet the criteria to qualify for an Elmiron lawsuit and how to proceed. You can also contact us online 24/7 to request a free case evaluation.