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Attorney Danielle Gold has been appointed to serve on the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in the Elmiron multidistrict litigation (MDL). The litigation alleges that taking pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) to reduce bladder pain and discomfort of interstitial cystitis has resulted in serious eye damage.

Gold has been appointed along with a select and diverse group of six other attorneys to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee members sit along with the Co-Lead Counsel and other attorneys on the larger 24 member Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee directing the Elmiron MDL litigation.

Gold Is Honored

“It is an honor to be selected to this prestigious plaintiff leadership team,” said Gold, an associate attorney in Weitz & Luxenberg’s Defective Drugs and Devices litigation practice area. “U.S. Judge Brian R. Martinotti’s specifically requested diversity, and attorneys among this committee reflect ethnic and racial diversity as well as attorneys with varying levels of experience.”

“In addition, 18 of us on the committee are women. This is incredibly important because most of the plaintiffs in this MDL are expected to be women,” Gold said. “Elmiron is prescribed for interstitial cystitis, which disproportionately affects more women than men.”

Elmiron Causes Eye Damage

Interstitial cystitis is a chronic condition linked to bladder and pelvic pain and discomfort. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Elmiron, pentosan polysulfate sodium, to help alleviate this type of pain in patients who have interstitial cystitis. (1)

However, studies have indicated using pentosan polysulfate sodium can lead to a specific kind of eye damage primarily affecting the retina. This type of damage is known as a form of pigmentary maculopathy. (2) (3)

“What is particularly alarming is that not only does this drug lead to a condition that threatens the loss of your vision, but also that this damage may be irreversible,” Gold added.

Experienced Defective Drug Attorney

Gold, based in our New York headquarters office, has been recognized as one of the New York metro area’s “Rising Stars” by Super Lawyers magazine. She has served as a member of W&L’s team that helped secure significant compensation for hundreds of our clients injured by defective medical devices and other pharmaceutical products.

In addition, Gold served on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee and served as Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel for the Farxiga MDL. Gold presented the key causation witness before the Court at the “Science Day” hearing and played a pivotal role in assisting the parties achieve early resolution of those cases.

Gold, a New Jersey admitted attorney and graduate of Rutgers Law School who clerked eight years ago for one of the three state court judges handling mass tort cases, is “pleased to be handling an MDL in the Garden State” where she can share her knowledge of New Jersey law with her fellow committee members from around the country.

Complex Medical Litigation

The Judicial Panel on the Elmiron MDL assigned the litigation to Judge Martinotti, citing his expertise in handling the subtleties of complex, multidistrict litigation. The number of suits is expected to increase to several hundred.

Elmiron has been on the market for more than two decades. Because of this, it is anticipated the scope of discovery will be large and will include multiple complex medical and scientific issues.

The case is In re: Elmiron (Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium) Products Liability Litigation, case number 2:20-md-02973 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

  1. Ortho−McNeil−Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2002). ELMIRON®-100 mg (pentosan polysulfate sodium) Capsules. Retrieved from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2008/020193s009lbl.pdf
  2. Pearce, W.A., et al. (2018, November). Pigmentary Maculopathy Associated With Chronic Exposure to Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29801663/
  3. Ferguson, T.J., et al. (2019, January 5). Chronic use of pentosan polysulfate sodium associated with risk of vision-threatening disease. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00192-018-3850-9
  4. Ibid.

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