Children's Motrin and Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Malibu, CAChildren's Motrin has been linked with Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS). Unfortunately, many people are not aware of Stevens Johnson Syndrome and may not know that Children's Motrin could be causing their child's health problems. They often do not find this out until it is too late to prevent long-term damage.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a life-threatening allergic reaction to medications that can cause the patient to slough off large areas of skin and also frequently causes lesions in the patient's mucous membranes. SJS can be fatal if there is damage to internal organs or organ systems, or if the patient develops an infection. Patients with SJS are often treated in burn units because of the damage done to the skin and mucous membranes.

SJS has been linked with ibuprofen, which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and is the active ingredient in Motrin and Children's Motrin.

Lawsuits have been filed against the makers of drugs such as Children's Motrin, alleging the medications did not carry proper warnings about the risk of Stevens Johnson Syndrome. One family from California claimed that the use of Children's Motrin caused a young girl named Sabrina Johnson to go blind. Sabrina was given just 3 doses of Children's Motrin to bring down a fever and quickly developed sores on her face. In addition to being blind, Sabrina now has a deficient immune system and suffers from photosensitivity (intolerance to light).

Sabrina's lawsuit was heard this summer in Malibu, CA and argued that after she developed Stevens Johnson Syndrome, Sabrina underwent over 20 surgical procedures and many hospitalizations. Lawyers argued that before Children's Motrin became an over-the-counter drug it carried a warning about the risk of SJS in its package insert, proving that Johnson & Johnson knew about the risk of SJS. However, when the drug was approved for over-the-counter sales, the warning was dropped.

The jury in the case found that Children's Motrin was not proven to have caused the girl's blindness. However, the jury also found that Johnson & Johnson put a drug on the market that was known to cause illness without properly warning customers. The family will appeal the jury's decision. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson faces other lawsuits related to Children's Motrin and SJS.

Since Sabrina Johnson was injured, the FDA has requested a change to the labeling of Children's Motrin.

Symptoms of Stevens Johnson Syndrome include a rash that turns into blisters and the skin around the eyes and mouth becoming cracked and swollen.

Children's Motrin is recommended for children aged 2 to 11 for pain and fever relief. It is typically used for children with colds, the flu, fevers, headaches and body aches. Children's Motrin is manufactured by McNeil Pharmaceuitcals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

For an adult, Stevens Johnson Syndrome can be devastating—for a child it is a nightmare. Imagine being a child, taking only a couple of doses of an over-the-counter medication for a fever and becoming blind shortly after. Children like Sabrina Johnson have to spend their entire lifetime dealing with the aftermath of developing SJS—if they survive their ordeal. Some children's deaths have been linked to the use of certain over-the-counter medications.