Adult SJS Victim Claims Children's Motrin as the Cause

August 15, 2010, 8:00AM. By Gordon Gibb

Chicago, ILWhen Karen Robinson awoke in September 2005 with a headache, she took two teaspoons of Children's Motrin. The Illinois woman (living in Virginia at the time) had no idea of the chain of events that would eventually lead to Stevens Johnson Syndrome and, worse, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Robinson eventually lost sight in one eye and 60 percent of her skin. With only limited sight in the other eye, she expects to go blind eventually.

According to an 8/11/10 summary by the United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, Robinson purchased the Children's Motrin for her child and indicated she had read the warnings on the product label at the time of purchase. Those warnings, for a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), include reference to the potential for "a severe allergic reaction which may include: hives, facial swelling, asthma (wheezing), shock." After additional warnings of side effects the label says: "Stop use and see a doctor if an allergic reaction occurs."

Robinson testified that some months later, she awoke in the dead of night with a headache and, without reviewing the warnings on the product, took a small dose of Children's Motrin to ease her symptoms. According to court documents, she awoke the next morning with a rash on her chest that worsened throughout the day.

The next night Robinson awoke with a fever and took two more teaspoons of Children's Motrin, about 24 hours after taking the first dose. She saw her doctor the following morning about the skin rash and was prescribed Benadryl and a Medrol pack. The plaintiff claims to have mentioned the Children's Motrin to her physician, who did not react.

Before the day was out, her skin rash had begun to erupt in blisters and her fever worsened later that night. She took two more teaspoons of Children's Motrin before returning to bed. Her condition worsened the next day and her doctor ordered her hospitalized.

She was diagnosed with TEN, a severe form of SJS, and suffered severe trauma. The court heard that more than half of her skin sloughed off and that Robinson required multiple operations on her throat and esophagus. She also lost sight in one eye.

She sued McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the manufacturer of Children's Motrin and a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. Upon the conclusion of a six-day trial a jury found that McNeil had been negligent and awarded the plaintiff $3.5 million in compensatory damages.

However, the jury also found the plaintiff to be contributorily negligent for continuing to take the medication beyond the first dose, in spite of warnings to stop the medication should skin rash or potential allergic reactions appear.

The Robinsons were living in the state of Virginia when the Motrin was consumed, and according to Virginia law, contributory negligence is a complete defense to negligence.

The judge in the original Stevens Johnson Syndrome trial entered judgment for McNeil. On August 11, that judgment was affirmed on appeal. Robinson continues to suffer, and will one day lose her sight completely.