Gabapentin

Gabapentin is an anti-seizure medication that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved to treat epileptic seizures and shingles-related nerve pain. However, the drug has also been prescribed and marketed to treat a wide range of conditions that have not been approved by the FDA. Several studies show that gabapentin, also sold under the Pfizer brand name Neurontin and the other brand names Horizant, and Gralise, is linked to cognitive decline and dementia. Some states have even categorized gabapentin as a Schedule V controlled substance because of the number of deaths from overdose, but the number of prescriptions continue to climb. If you suffered cognitive decline or dementia as a result of taking gabapentin/Neurontin, you should consult the seasoned Chicago-based product liability attorneys of Moll Law Group. Billions have been recovered in cases with which we’ve been involved.

Plaintiffs have filed suit against Pfizer with a range of claims. The primary ones are that Pfizer marketed Neurontin for off label uses like migraines, bipolar disorder, anxiety and back pain; Pfizer failed to provide adequate warnings about the risk of cognitive decline and dementia connected to gabapentin use; and that Pfizer should have known about these risks because several studies have found disturbing links between gabapentin and cognitive decline or dementia.

In one study, neurocognitive changes were compared between 480 adults who were 65 or older but not cognitively impaired who took gabapentin and a group of 4320 such adults who didn’t. The researchers found that the group who took gabapentin had 1.5-1.9 times the odds of developing cognitive decline after a year of use compared to the group that didn’t take gabapentin.

Another study discovered that those who were treated for chronic lower back pain with six or more gabapentin prescriptions experienced an 85% higher risk of mild cognitive impairment and 29% higher risk of dementia within 10 years as compared to people who had no gabapentin prescriptions after being diagnosed with lower back pain. Unsettlingly, the higher risk wasn’t restricted to older patients. Even adults between 35- and 49-years-old had more than two times the risk of dementia and more than three times the risk of mild cognitive impairment than their peers in the group that didn’t take gabapentin.

Cognitive decline and dementia can dramatically change a life, not only for patients but also for their families. If you were harmed by gabapentin/Neurontin, you should consider bringing a product liability lawsuit and holding the manufacturer accountable. Product liability lawsuits can be pursued when a drug is defective in terms of its manufacturing, marketing, or design. Manufacturing defects typically affect only certain batches; they exist when there are flaws in how the drug is made. Design defects affect all units of the product because they involve a flaw in the formulation or other specifications. Marketing defects can take various forms, but they most often involve failure to warn. In this case, many plaintiffs have alleged that Pfizer failed to provide adequate warnings of the cognitive decline and dementia associated with gabapentin/Neurontin.

The effects of cognitive decline and dementia can be devastating. However, if we are able to establish a manufacturer’s liability for your harm, we may be able to recover compensatory damages, including reimbursement for both economic and noneconomic losses. Economic damages address tangible harms such as medical bills, wage loss, replacement services, and out-of-pocket costs. Noneconomic damages include such items as mental anguish, pain and suffering, lost earning capacity, and loss of consortium.

Whether you suffered cognitive decline or a loved one developed dementia while taking gabapentin or Neurontin, please call the tenacious Chicago-based product liability lawyers of Moll Law Group to determine whether you have a viable claim. We have many years of experience representing patients and their families who have experienced harm as the result of medical products. Complete our online form or call us at 312.462.1700.