Lawsuit Information Center Blog

Anyone that has been using the drug Elmiron to treat bladder conditions should be aware of the growing tide of concerns regarding the long-term safety of this popular drug. After an initial wave of reports linking the use of Elmiron to serious vision impairment, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently stepped in and required the manufacturer of Elmiron to add a “black box” warning label. The new warning label alerts doctors and patients that Elmiron may cause a rare eye disease called pigmentary maculopathy that can cause vision impairment or blindness. The new warning label comes just as Elmiron lawsuits are already being filed across the country

Elmiron and Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial cystitis is an ailment involving the urinary tract system that causes chronic bladder and abdominal pressure and pain. The condition is a part of a spectrum of diseases known as Bladder Pain Syndrome. More than one million people in the United States, mostly women, are estimated to have the condition.

Federal lawsuits against Allergan’s Natrelle Biocell Textured Breast Implants emerged months after its manufacturer, Allergan, recalled it. The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated all federal into an MDL class action in New Jersey. The MDL lawsuits allege that the implants cause breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), a rare form of cancer.

What is Allergan’s Natrelle Biocell Textured Breast Implants?

Plastic surgeons use Allergan’s Natrelle Biocell Textured Breast Implants for breast augmentation, reduction, and reconstructive surgeries. Irish-based pharmaceutical company Allergan manufactures them. Their outer shells are made of silicone elastomer, containing rubber-like elastic properties. They are filled with sterile saline, a saltwater solution.

Recent studies have shown that Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are linked to serious adverse health effects, particularly various cancers. This is of serious concern, especially to public health, because of how prevalent PFAS are in both manufactured products and the environment.

What Are PFAS? 

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals found in everyday products such as food packaging, commercial household products, drinking water, and living organisms. They are not naturally occurring. Starting in the 1940s, they were initially used in stain and water-resistant fabrics, carpeting, paints, cleaning products, and fire-fighting foams. One of the most famous PFAS-based brands is Teflon, first developed in the late 1930s.

The Arthrex iBalance Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is an implant device that assists surgeons with performing total knee replacements in patients suffering cartilage loss from osteoarthritis or post-traumatic arthritis. Arthrex markets this product as an improved and longer-lasting alternative to traditional total knee replacement devices. They claim it is a “complete, minimally invasive instrument.” Traditional devices need their metal plates and screws replaced, which necessitates further surgery. Arthrex intended this device to reduce the likelihood for further surgeries. By reducing this likelihood, the iBalance TKA is meant to be convenient and less expensive than its competitors.

The iBalance TKA System comes with a pamphlet providing detailed instructions and several tools to assist with knee replacement surgery. Arthrex intended this device to match the normal knee’s curvature, to ensure that the knee bends naturally. Its parts are made of metal and polyethylene plastic.

Knee replacement surgery