Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases describes it as a chronic disease in which abnormal immune reactions cause inflammation and ulcers on the inner lining of the large intestine, and notes it is more likely to develop between ages 15 and 30. Symptoms include diarrhea, blood in the stool, abdominal pain, urgency, and fatigue, often in flares followed by remission.

It differs from Crohn's disease, the other main form of IBD, which can affect any part of the digestive tract. Doctors diagnose ulcerative colitis with blood and stool tests and endoscopy, and treat it with medicines that reduce inflammation, including immune-suppressing drugs and biologics. Some people eventually need surgery to remove the colon.

Ulcerative colitis appears in drug litigation in two ways. First, some lawsuits have alleged that a medicine triggered IBD as a side effect. Second, the drugs used to treat ulcerative colitis can carry serious risks of their own. For example, the FDA's 2021 safety communication on Xeljanz (tofacitinib), which is approved for both arthritis and ulcerative colitis, required warnings about an increased risk of heart-related events, cancer, blood clots, and death.

In either kind of case, success depends on medical records showing when symptoms started, what drug was taken, and expert evidence about causation. Do not change IBD treatment without your doctor. See our guides on mass torts and multidistrict litigation.