Drug-manufacturing company Janssen Pharmaceuticals is currently taking heat for their commonly-used bladder medication, Elmiron. While it’s been around for decades and used by many, recent research has shed light on the possible side effects caused by the drug. Many patients have reported changes to their vision health in correspondence to Elmiron use, often taking the form of maculopathy, an eye disorder that damages the retina and leads to blindness.
What Does Elmiron Do?
Elmiron is predominantly used to treat interstitial cystitis, a chronic condition that causes mild to severe pain in the bladder and pelvis, and usually consists of a variety of symptoms, including urinary frequency or urgency, with some patients rushing to the restroom up to 60 times aday. There is currently no cure for interstitial cystitis, and quite often patients will be misdiagnosed as having a urinary tract infection. Elmiron is the only FDA-approved medication on the market to treat this chronic condition.
Elmiron, chemically known as pentosan polysulfate sodium, helps heal the bladder by improving its lining to prevent leakage and sensitivity to harmful substances in the urine, which in turn reduces the pain and inflammation. While it cannot cure the condition, Elmiron has successfully proven to provide relief for some of the symptoms of interstitial cystitis.
The Risks Involved
Unfortunately, a concerning new observation from the scientific community reveals that long term exposure to pentosan polysulfate sodium, or PPS, can cause harmful retinal changes through macular degeneration. In a case study between 2015 and 2017, six women were observed for changes to their vision in conjunction with consistent PPS exposure. All six women experienced difficulty with their vision. The case suggests that PPS or a toxic metabolite may be accumulating in the retinal cells over time, resulting in damage. While there is no conclusive explanation as to why PPS exposure has resulted in macular degeneration, multiple case studies have exposedthe connection and established the risk.
