Recently lawsuits have begun to come out against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a branch of Johnson & Johnson, claiming that the company did not adequately warn users of the risks associated with the drug. The prescription oral drug approved in 1996 was intended to treat bladder and pelvic pain associated with Interstitial Cystitis. However, since the drug has been more popularly prescribed, more and more users have come forward citing impairments to their vision after long-term use and in some extreme cases, maculopathy and macular degeneration. Some users have already begun to seek claims against Janssen Pharmaceuticals for damages brought on by their use of the drug, claiming that the company knew about the potential dangers of Elmiron and did nothing to warn the public.
On December 16th, 2020 the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) began a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson for concealing the knowledge of harmful side effects associated with Elmiron. These claims state that the company has been aware of the drug’s potential to damage users’ vision since 1997 yet has neglected to include an appropriate warning of these risks. The FDA Adverse Events and Reporting System (FAERS) logged 100 vision problem cases from Elmiron between 1997 and 2019. In this study, 80% of these cases were logged as serious and 22 patients at least reported maculopathy.
Johnson & Johnson were informed in 2018 of a case study done by Dr. Neiraj Jain in which a link was found between long-term use of Elmiron and pigmentary maculopathy, however no steps were taken by the company to inform consumers. In 2019 the European Medicines Agency required Janssen to change their warning, however it wasn’t until June 2020 that the US label was edited. Attorneys filing claims against Elmiron are seeking financial compensation for damages including:
- Medical treatment expenses, both past and present
- Mental health treatment expenses
- Lost wages, both past and present
- Pain and suffering
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If you or someone you know has been prescribed Elmiron and has experienced subsequent impairments to their vision they are eligible to file claims. Contact our firm today.