ELMIRON LAWSUIT WHITEPAPER

About Elmiron Lawsuit

Elmiron, pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS), is a prescription drug prescribed to patients who suffer from bladder pain caused by interstitial cystitis. It is currently the only drug available on the market to treat this condition.

The drug was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996. Many people have been taking it for years to treat their interstitial cystitis. There are many reports of patients developing vision issues after taking Elmiron over the years. The most common injury reported is maculopathy, a medical condition in the macula. The macula is in the back center of the retina and is responsible for all central vision as well as most of our clarity.

• 2018 – Study by Nieraj Jain reported vision changes and difficulty reading amongst a group of patients who took Elmiron for an average of 15 years.
• 2019 – Warnings of vision damage/loss are added to Elmiron’s label across Canada and Europe.
• January 2020 – a study was conducted for Elmiron by a group of doctors to test the toxicity of Elmiron for vision loss from a collection of patients.
• May 2020 – The first lawsuit is filed against Janssen Pharmaceuticals for failing to warn users of Elmiron’s about the associated risks with using Elmiron and possible vision loss.
• June 2020 – Elmiron’s label is updated in the U.S. to include warnings of vision loss.

Elmiron Associated Injuries

The current injuries being reported in the Elmiron lawsuit are vision related including:

• Maculopathy
• Blindness
• Distorted or blurred vision
• Diminished eyesight 
• Difficulty reading
• Difficulties at seeing close objects 
• Eye strain or fatigue after screen time
• Increased time to adjust to darkness or dim lighting
• Difficult time adjusting to dim lighting or the dark
• Eye pain
• Visual disturbances such as flashes, moving lights, or shadows
  

Elmiron Status of Litigation

Cases are consolidated in the District of New Jersey before the Hon. Brian R. Martinotti, U.S.D.J. and Hon. Edward S. Kiel, U.S.M.J. Master Docket 2:20-md-02973. There have been no verdicts or known settlements at this time.

Elmiron Manufacturer

The current manufacturer for Elmiron is Janssen Pharmaceuticals, whose parent company is Johnson & Johnson.