The U.S. District Judge who is overseeing all the Elmiron lawsuits has selected three cases that will be prepared for a series of bellwether trials beginning on the first half of 2023.
As per the complaints filed by the Elmiron users, the manufacturers of the drug failed to warn the users and the doctors about the importance of monitoring for vision changes and provided misleading information resulting in blurry or distorted vision, as well as blindness.
The first case from the selected three cases was filed by a Georgia couple who alleged that the Elmiron usage from 2008 through 2014 resulted in injury to both eyes of the lady. The couple revealed that they were not aware of the side effects of the drug as the manufacturers did not provide any warnings.
The second case was filed in January 2021 by a lady from Broussard, Louisiana. The woman alleges that she suffered vision loss and macular degeneration due to years of Elmiron usage.
The third case was filed in October 2020 by a woman in Louisiana with allegations that she suffered from retinal pigmentary changes, including macular degeneration, after using the drug from 2012 to 2014.
Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium) is a medication used to treat interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome. The lawsuits filed against the medication allege that the usage of the drug results in the users suffering from permanent vision problems, including a form of retinal damage known as pigmentary maculopathy.
The jury established a bellwether process to deal with the Elmiron settlement negotiations. A case could be identified as a bellwether trial case only if the plaintiff has developed either pigmentary maculopathy or suffered exacerbation of an underlying retinal disorder after consuming the Elmiron. Another clause mandates that the drug should have been ingested on or before November 7, 2021.
The U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti is overseeing all the Elmiron lawsuits, which are consolidated in litigation in the District of New Jersey. The litigation was formed in December 2020 for coordinated discovery and pretrial proceedings.
