Elmiron® Vision Loss Lawyers

Recent studies have linked the medication Elmiron®, prescribed to patients with interstitial cystitis (painful bladder syndrome), to a rare progressive eye disease that can cause vision loss or even blindness. Our law firm is now representing clients who have taken Elmiron® or other pentosan polysulfate sodium drugs and experienced side effects detrimental to their vision. We are now filing lawsuits against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the makers of Elmiron®.

If you or someone you love has taken Elmiron® and experienced serious side effects, you may be entitled to financial compensation. The knowledgeable legal team at Ron Bell Injury Lawyers has successfully represented plaintiffs in lawsuits against pharmaceutical and medical device companies. After taking on your case, our experienced personal injury lawyers will fully investigate, review your medical records, and determine if you qualify to receive a settlement.

If you have experienced side effects from the medication Elmiron®, you’re not alone. Action is being taken against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the producers of this drug, to hold them liable for their actions. Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation, or fill out the online form.

Your time to file a lawsuit is limited –call us immediately before the statute of limitations on your case runs out and you lose your chance at financial compensation.

What is Elmiron® and What Condition is it Prescribed For?

Elmiron® (pentosan polysulfate sodium) is prescribed to treat a painful bladder disorder called interstitial cystitis, otherwise known as painful bladder syndrome. Those suffering from interstitial cystitis may have to cope with:

• Abdominal pain
• Frequent need to urinate (up to 60 times a day)
• Bladder pressure
• Pelvis pain

The severity and frequency of the symptoms differ from patient to patient. The cause of interstitial cystitis is unknown but thought to be caused by a defect in the lining of the bladder, allowing toxins found in urine to irritate the bladder wall. Elmiron® helps alleviate some of the pain and discomfort of this disorder by producing a thin mucus layer on the wall of the bladder.

What are the Side Effects of Elmiron®?

For those with interstitial cystitis, Elmiron® is the only oral medication officially approved for treating their specific symptoms. Millions have taken the medication because it was thought to have few side effects and few risks.

The side effects Janssen has listed for Elmiron® include:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Hair loss
• Stomach or abdominal pain
• Rashes or itchy skin
• Diarrhea
• Depression

Meanwhile, researchers have recently linked Elmiron® with much more serious side effects–ones that Janssen Pharmaceutical failed to disclose. Studies have linked Elmiron® with a progressive eye disease called retinal maculopathy.

The macula is located on the backside of the retina. The retina senses light, and sends a signal to our brains, allowing us to see. When the retina is damaged, vision is impaired. There are different varieties of maculopathy including:

• Age-related macular degeneration
• Cellophane maculopathy
• Malattia Leventinese

The type of maculopathy that Elmiron® has been found to cause is entirely new, called pigmentary maculopathy. Common symptoms to watch out for are:

• Blurred vision
• Eye pain
• Dark spots at the center of vision
• Difficulty reading
• Difficulty adjusting to changes in room lighting
• Straight lines appearing curved
• Blindness

Timeline of the Studies Linking Elmiron® to Maculopathy

September 1996. Elmiron® is approved by the FDA in oral capsule form to treat interstitial cystitis.

October 2017. A study of 6 female patients completed by the Emory Eye Center links Elmiron® to a new eye disease deemed “pigmentary maculopathy.”

May 2018. Doctors from the Emory Eye Center publish the case results in the Journal of Ophthalmology. Chronic exposure to Elmiron® was found to cause pigmentary maculopathy. However, further research was needed to know the effects of dosage amounts, duration of use and number of patients affected, and if the damage was permanent.

April 2019. Researchers found 140 patients who had taken an average of 5,000 Elmiron® capsules each over the course of 15 years. 91 of those patients were willing to come in to be examined, and 22 of those patients showed clear evidence of drug toxicity. The more of the drug they had taken, the greater the levels of toxicity were.

November 2019. A Harvard case report is published by Dr. Rachel M. Huckfeldt and Demetrios G. Vavvas in the Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging Retina journal. They presented the case of a female patient whose Elmiron® associated maculopathy continued to worsen even though she had stopped taking the medication 6 years prior.

January 2020. A study conducted at UCLA determined that pentosan polysulfate sodium poses a significantly increased risk of retinal toxicity.

Why Should I File an Elmiron® Lawsuit?

Doctors, scientists, researchers, and thorough studies have linked Elmiron® to the eye disease maculopathy. Janssen Pharmaceuticals stands accused of knowing of the effects Elmiron® has on vision and refusing to list these side effects on the drug’s label.

The lawyers at Ron Bell Injury Lawyers feel strongly that pharmaceutical companies should be held accountable for their selfish actions when they put profits before people in this way. The lawsuits filed against well-known pharmaceutical companies like Janssen help to keep these companies in check and keep us all safe from greedy executives who put money before safety.

The manufacturers of this drug had a responsibility to protect the public and make people aware of the risks of taking Elmiron®. We are thus pursuing financial compensation for our clients who have suffered serious harm as a result of taking Elmiron®. If you or someone you love has developed eye damage since taking the drug, you may be entitled to a substantial sum.

How do I file an Elmiron® lawsuit?

If you developed maculopathy as a result of taking Elmiron®, you may qualify to file a lawsuit. In order to file, you must first contact a lawyer to start the process. The lawyers at Ron Bell are currently working hard to file lawsuits and seek financial compensation for clients who have taken Elmiron®. The time to file a lawsuit is limited, so don’t hesitate to call today.

What do I pay out of pocket?

The legal team at Ron Bell firmly believes that everyone is entitled to justice. This is why we will not charge you for your initial case evaluation or any upfront legal fees whatsoever. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means that we get paid when you get paid. If you don’t receive a monetary settlement for your case, then we don’t get paid either.

Why Should I Choose Ron Bell to File My Elmiron® Lawsuit?

We at Ron Bell Injury Lawyers understand that entrusting your Elmiron® lawsuit with the right lawyer is a serious decision. If your vision has been affected by taking Elmiron®, you are likely suffering not only physically but perhaps also emotionally and financially. We want to help take some of that burden off your shoulders. The team at Ron Bell makes it easy to speak directly to a lawyer to learn all about your legal options.

We know that your time is precious, so we work hard to make sure that we take up as little of your time as possible. After a brief initial consultation, we will be able to tell you if you qualify to file a lawsuit. Most aspects of the case can be handled without you having to leave the comfort of your home or attend court hearings.

Our lawyers have the knowledge, experience, and resources necessary to win this fight against Elmiron®. If you or a loved one has experienced macular degeneration or vision loss due to taking this drug, call us today to schedule a free consultation on your case.