Janssen Pharmaceuticals may be facing lawsuits from people who developed dementia after taking the overactive bladder drugs Ditropan or Ditropan XL.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Ditropan (oxybutynin) induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with dementia after using Ditropan or Ditropan XL, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Class Action Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
What is Ditropan?
Ditropan® and Ditropan XL® (generic: oxybutynin) are medications that have been around since the 1970s to treat an overactive bladder and other urinary problems. They relax muscles in the bladder that cause urinary incontinence and frequent, hard-to-control urges to urinate.
Ditropan and Dementia
Dementia is most common in older adults, but it is not a normal part of aging. It is a progressive disease that is caused when nerve cells in the brain are destroyed. Unfortunately, medications like Ditropan may have brain-damaging side effects that can lead to dementia.
What is the Problem?
The problem is that Ditropan and Ditropan XL relax the bladder by blocking a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, which also plays a critical role in the brain, especially for learning and memory. This is why it commonly has brain-damaging side effects, like confusion or memory loss. However, there may be more severe long-term risks.
Studies Link Ditropan and Dementia Risk in Older Patients
In recent years, a growing number of studies have also found higher rates of severe, long-term brain diseases like dementia — especially for older patients who took higher doses of Ditropan, Ditropan XL, or other common medications in the same drug-class for several years.
In 2019, a major study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found a 50% increased risk of dementia for patients over 55 years old who took Ditropan or other medications in the anticholinergic drug-class.
For patients over age 55, Ditropan and other medications that block acetylcholine could have severe neurological risks. For example, the label includes warnings about worsening of pre-existing dementia and Parkinson’s disease symptoms, hallucinations, confusion, and more.
Are Other Medications Safer for Overactive Bladder?
In 2008, a study published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice warned: “There is compelling evidence of cognitive impairment with oxybutynin.”. No evidence of cognitive impairment was linked to another overactive bladder drug called darifenacin, likely because it does not enter the brain as easily.
Can I Join a Class Action Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is filing individual lawsuits for people who were diagnosed with dementia after using Ditropan or Ditropan XL. The most common symptoms of dementia include:
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Forgetfulness
- Slowed thinking
- Loss of focus and organization
- Trouble speaking or understanding language
- Difficulty performing daily tasks (sorting mail, cooking food, getting lost in a familiar neighborhood, etc.)
- And more
About Class Actions
Class action lawsuits are not typically used to resolve injury cases involving medications with dangerous side effects. Instead, these lawsuits may be filed in courtrooms nationwide, and then centralized in a single federal Multi-District Litigation (MDL), under one judge.
Why Our Law Firm is Filing Individual Lawsuits
Our lawyers are filing individual lawsuits for people who were diagnosed with dementia after using Ditropan or Ditropan XL. If you qualify to file a lawsuit, we may be able to help you seek compensation and justice.
Lawsuits typically seek financial compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses, long-term care, lifelong injuries, lost income, decreased quality of life, and more.
Do I have a Ditropan Class Action Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Ditropan (oxybutynin) induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with dementia after using Ditropan or Ditropan XL, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Class Action Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Attention Lawyers: We consider a referral from another law firm to be one of the greatest compliments. If your firm is interested in referring us a case or for us to send you a list of previous award judgments and/or average referral fees, please visit the Lawyer Referral section of our website.
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs' law firms and handles cases in all 50 states. We are very proud of our legal achievements, but equally self-respecting of our firm's reputation for providing personal attention to each and every client we represent.
