Stevens-Johnson syndrome – Family Sues Drugmaker
Posted by Administrator (admin) on Jun 17 2008 at 12:52 PM
Stevens Johnson Syndrome >>

A lawsuit claims that Children's Motrin caused Stevens-Johnson syndrome that blinded a California girl.

Sabrina Johnson was 6 years old in September 2003 when she was sent home from school after suffering from a fever. Her parents gave her drops of Children's Motrin that afternoon and night.

The lawsuit accuses that Sabrina woke up with a high fever the next morning. Her eyes appeared pink and her mouth was swollen covered with sores. She was admitted at Cedars Sinai Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. She was blind in both eyes by the next day. As per diagnosis, she had developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Johnson’s family filed a lawsuit against the drug maker McNeil PPC, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

“This is an extremely important consumer case involving the really potent tragedy of a little girl blinded by Children's Motrin, an over-the-counter, seemingly benign drug,” said Browne Greene, the attorney representing the family of Sabrina Johnson.

Greene argues that McNeil PPC has long known of a connection between ibuprofen, the dynamic ingredient in Motrin, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

“The prescription version of the drug has stronger warnings however, the over-the-counter version points out nothing about this risk,” Greene said.

“Sabrina was a very healthy little girl. She started getting worse soon after the drug was given. There was nothing on the package insert or label that said anything significant or life-threatening might happen. The label carries only the most benign and general kind of stuff,” he said.

According to Greene, the main aim of the lawsuit is to insist that ibuprofen products carry caution labels. The suit also demands compensation for medical and legal expenses, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.

Comments