Neurontin Dementia Lawsuit Alleges Gabapentin Caused Early-Onset Memory Loss

Lawsuit claims drugmakers failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about the potential cognitive risks of gabapentinoids.

A woman has filed a product liability lawsuit against Pfizer and several related drug companies, alleging that years of taking gabapentinoids for nerve pain caused severe memory loss, cognitive impairment and early-onset dementia.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Crystal Seifers in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas earlier this year, naming Pfizer Inc., Greenstone LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn Co. LLC, Pharmacia LLC and Viatris Inc. as defendants.

Seifers claims the drugmakers knew or should have known that prolonged use of gabapentin and pregabalin could cause serious neurological complications, but failed to adequately investigate the risks or warn patients and prescribing physicians.

Gabapentin Side Effect Lawsuits

Gabapentin was initially approved by the FDA in 1993 under the brand name Neurontin to treat certain seizure disorders, with additional indications approved in subsequent years. The medication, which is also marketed under the brand names Gralise and Horizant, belongs to a class of drugs known as gabapentinoids.

These medications are frequently prescribed off label for conditions such as diabetic neuropathy, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, sciatica, restless legs syndrome, anxiety and alcohol use disorder. Gabapentinoids also include drugs like pregabalin, which is sold under the brand name Lyrica.

The growing popularity of gabapentinoids has raised concerns about potential side effects, misuse and dependence. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prescriptions have surged in recent years, with gabapentin use increasing by more than 200% over a 15-year period.

However, a study published in the journal Drugs & Aging in June found an association between gabapentinoid use and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia. For the study, researchers reviewed five observational analyses involving more than 325,000 participants and found that gabapentinoid users had approximately 28% higher odds of developing dementia compared with individuals who did not take the medications or received alternative treatments.

The findings come amid emerging gabapentin dementia lawsuits alleging Pfizer, Viatris and other drugmakers failed to adequately investigate the medication’s long-term neurological effects or warn patients and doctors about potential cognitive complications.

Neurontin Dementia Allegations

According to the complaint, Seifers was prescribed gabapentin and pregabalin for nerve pain between approximately 2017 and 2026. The filing identifies at least 94 prescriptions during that period, including 52 for gabapentin and 42 for pregabalin.

The lawsuit alleges that prolonged use of the medications caused Seifers to develop serious neurological complications, including:

• Memory loss
• Executive dysfunction, including difficulty planning and organizing
• Personality and behavioral changes
• Visuospatial difficulties
• Motor function and coordination problems

Seifers claims the medications caused or contributed to her early-onset dementia and other neurological injuries. She maintains that neither she nor her doctors received adequate warnings about the potential cognitive risks, preventing them from making informed treatment decisions or recognizing early signs of neurological damage.

The lawsuit alleges the defendants failed to adequately test or monitor the drugs for long-term neurological risks and continued selling them without appropriate dementia warnings. It also claims the companies could have updated their prescribing information to alert patients and doctors to the potential dangers.

Seifers alleges Neurontin was aggressively promoted for conditions beyond its original FDA-approved uses, including various chronic pain conditions. She further references earlier legal proceedings involving Neurontin’s off-label promotion, including a 2004 criminal resolution and subsequent civil settlements.

“Due to the absence of any warning by the Defendants as to the significant health and safety risks posed by Gabapentinoids, Plaintiff was unaware that Gabapentinoids could cause the development of a serious and debilitating neurocognitive defects including but not limited to early onset dementia, as this danger was not known to Plaintiff, Plaintiff’s healthcare providers, or the general public.”

— Crystal Seifers v. Pfizer Inc. et al.

The complaint raises allegations of negligence, negligent failure to warn, negligent design defect, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of express warranty and breach of implied warranty. It seeks compensatory damages exceeding $50,000, as well as punitive damages.

Gabapentin Dementia Lawsuits

Attorneys are currently investigating potential Neurontin lawsuits on behalf of individuals who developed serious neurological conditions after prolonged gabapentin use, including:

• Dementia
• Early-onset dementia
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

As the litigation develops, it is expected to raise questions about what pharmaceutical manufacturers knew regarding the potential dementia risks of gabapentin, when those risks became apparent and whether additional safety measures should have been taken.

Individuals diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment after prolonged gabapentin use may be entitled to financial compensation through a gabapentin dementia lawsuit. Attorneys are actively reviewing new claims and offering free case evaluations to determine eligibility.

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