Amanda Antell  |  February 10, 2014

Category: Legal News

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Dilantin SJSA recent health concern in the medical community and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the recent rise of medications that seem to be causing  Stevens Johnson Syndrome. Included in the list of medications is Dilantin, one of America’s most popular anticonvulsant drug.

Dilantin (Phenytoin) is a powerful anticonvulsant drug manufactured by Pfizer, and is typically prescribed to treat partial seizures and tonic-clonic seizures to adult and other approved patients.  This drug is unique compared to other antiepileptic drugs because it directly blocks the sodium channels in the brain.  This lowers the strength of the electrical signals in the brain, as well as the speed of the current, which ultimately prevents the surges from clashing.

Dilantin has proven to be widely successful among prescribed patients, but has come allegedly with major health risks that medical experts had been concerned about, since the drug’s release.  These health risks have recently been birth defects to other minor side effects, such as nausea.  However, of the recent Dilantin concerns, one of the most prevalent perhaps would be the alleged occurrence of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS).

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a severe, allergic skin reaction, which is specifically onset by medication.  The symptoms typically start with simple flu symptoms for the first weeks, but quickly spiral into more serious complications.  Most notably, red or purplish lesions are the most infamous side effect of SJS, typically appearing in random parts of the skin. It can also attack the eyes, mouth, and nose.  If left untreated, this condition could result in death, so any SJS occurrence in any medication is to be taken seriously.

As indicated earlier, there has been a rise in medications that have supposedly caused Stevens Johnson Syndrome among patients.  Other than Dilantin, medications that have been noted to cause this reaction include: Lamictal, Zithromax, and Onfi.  Luckily, Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a very rare condition, with only 300 cases diagnosed per year in the United States.  However, regardless of whether or not the condition is rare, it does not change the fact that this condition causes the patient permanent scarring, possible blindness, and even death.

Drug companies have landed in litigation fire for omitting this side effect on their medications.  Either a case had not been diagnosed during their preclinical trials, or they did not believe it was likely; drug companies have given various reasons as to why it is not included on the labels.  However, the allegations from plaintiffs remain consist in motive that drug companies allegedly choose to omit this bit of information, to protect their profit margin.

Pfizer Inc.  is allegedly no different in this regard, and has been in many product liability lawsuits, due to Stevens Johnson Syndrome allegations.  With the growing number of medications being discovered to trigger SJS, it is becoming urgent to explicitly state this condition as a possibility on suspected medications.

Overview of Stevens Johnson Syndrome

According to medical experts, if Stevens Johnson Syndrome were to occur, it would be within the first two weeks of starting the medication.  Furthermore, medical experts urge patients to consult their physicians if they suspect they are undergoing any unusual or strong side effects of any medication they are under.  This is especially prevalent in medications which are known or suspected to cause SJS. If misdiagnosed or ignored, the condition will spread through the body, which will eventually cause breathing difficulty and organ failure.

Patients who are diagnosed are rushed into immediate medical care, and depending on the stage of the condition, can be saved.  However, unless if the condition is caught early enough, SJS almost always leaves physical scarring on the skin, as well as other lasting side effects.  Due to the nature of the side effects, SJS patients are often treated the same as burn patients, often having to undergo skin grafts to repair the damage.

So if not properly warned, many patients could be forced to undergo treatment for this condition, or possibly face even worse consequences.

In general, Dilantin Stevens Johnson Syndrome lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

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If you or a loved one were diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) after taking a prescribed or over-the-counter medication, like Dilantin, you may be eligible to take legal action against the drug’s manufacturer. Filing an SJS lawsuit or class action lawsuit may help you obtain compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages. Obtain a free and confidential review of your case by filling out the form below.

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