Miami Elmiron Vision Loss Attorneys
Helping People throughout Florida with Vision Damage from Elmiron
More than one million people in the U.S. suffer from interstitial cystitis (IC), a painful bladder condition with multiple symptoms, including recurring pain and pressure in the pelvic region and increased urinary frequency. Since there is no cure for the condition, many sufferers seek relief with a variety of different treatments, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antihistamines, antidepressants, nerve stimulation, bladder distension and bladder instillation.
For IC patients who tried many of these treatments but still suffered from recurring pain, the drug pentosan polysulfate sodium (Elmiron) brought welcome relief by apparently healing or protecting the lining of the bladder. It is the only drug approved by the FDA for treating IC and has been prescribed for hundreds of thousands of patients, many who have taken it regularly for years.
Unfortunately, ophthalmologists have now discovered that regular use of Elmiron could lead to retinal damage and vision loss. The good news is that if caught early, the vision damage can be minimized by stopping the medication. The bad news is that for those who have taken Elmiron for a significant amount of time, the medication toxicity could look and act like age-related macular degeneration, resulting in permanent vision loss.
What to Do If You Have Vision Loss Associated with Elmiron Usage
If you took Elmiron and have been diagnosed with maculopathy, a vision disorder that can lead to blindness, help is available. An experienced Florida defective product attorney from Boyers Law Group can help you understand your legal rights and options under Florida law and pursue a suitable course of action.
It may be possible to file a lawsuit against the makers of the drug and hold them accountable for your injuries. A lawsuit could help you obtain compensation for existing and future medical bills, loss of income, loss of life’s enjoyment, mental and physical suffering and other losses stemming from vision damage associated with Elmiron usage.
Why File an Elmiron Lawsuit
In addition to helping you get compensated for medical expenses, financial loss, physical and mental suffering and other damages, a lawsuit can help to hold the manufacturers of harmful medications accountable, under various legal doctrines, including negligence and “strict liability,” for manufacturing a product that is defective and unreasonably dangerous to consumers. Here, there is growing evidence that the manufacturer of Elmiron, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., developed and distributed a dangerous and defective medication and then knowingly failed to warn doctors and patients of significant health risks associated with taking this drug.
People suffering from interstitial cystitis should not have to suffer needlessly from having taken a defective medication. However, since Elmiron has been standard treatment for IC for several decades, hundreds of thousands of people have had prescriptions for the medication, and researchers have found that approximately 25% of those with significant exposure to the drug have signs of retinal damage. Lawsuits can help stop the drug manufacturers from injuring more IC patients.
Rely on Experienced Miami Defective Pharmaceutical Product Attorneys
Handling Elmiron vision damage cases effectively to obtain just and full compensation for your injuries requires outstanding legal representation by product defect attorneys with the experience and expertise that such cases require. The trial lawyers at Boyers Law Group have successfully represented many product liability victims and have the experience, skill and resources you need to obtain the substantial compensation you deserve.
For a free consultation at your convenience, call us today at 800.545.9100 or submit the “Tell Us What Happened” form on our website.
Helpful Resources:
American Academy of Ophthalmology. (2019, October 12). More evidence linking common bladder medication to a vision-threatening eye condition: New study shows about a quarter of patients with significant exposure to the drug show signs of retinal damage. ScienceDaily.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191012141218.htm
Interstitial Cystitis Association. (2015). Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium.
https://www.ichelp.org/diagnosis-treatment/treatments/pentosan-polysulfate-sodium/
Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Interstitial Cystitis.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/interstitial-cystitis/diagnosis-treatment/