Dilantin can be a life-saving drug to the people who need it. In fact, the World Health Organization considers it an Essential Medicine, one of the drugs that even the most basic healthcare systems need to function. But for some patients, the drug can cause a life-threatening reaction called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome or SJS.

Dilantin (Phenytoin) is an anticonvulsant, a drug used to treat various types of seizures. It can be effective against epilepsy, grand mal seizures, and even certain types of abnormal heart rhythms. Seizures are situations where the biological circuitry of the brain misfires, resulting in abnormal “signals” propagating through the nervous system. The most obvious consequence is seizures where a person convulses, but some seizures are much more subtle, and can be mistaken for “zoning out” or daydreaming.

Drugs like Dilantin are a godsend to people who suffer from this disorder. Older drugs were merely powerful sedatives that left patients barely able to function. However, Dilantin more selectively suppresses abnormal brain activity. This makes Dilantin much more useful for suppressing seizures. However, some patients suffer life-threatening reactions to the drug.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is an autoimmune reaction, a reaction wherein the body attacks itself using the same systems that normally control disease organisms. In the case of SJS, the body attacks its own skin, causing a rash, followed by blisters, sores, and ultimately ulcers. The damage can spread to the eyes and internal organs. For some patients, the disease can be fatal. Even survivors may face life-long complications, like disfiguring and disabling scars, blindness and impaired organ function. Many questions remain about SJS, but it is known that the vast majority of cases are triggered by various drugs, including Dilantin.

The most extreme cases of SJS may escalate to a condition called Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis or TEN. TEN is still an autoimmune disorder attacking the skin, but it is much more severe than “regular” SJS. The damage to the skin is much more severe — patches of the skin die and slough off, leaving burn-like wounds. And the mortality rate jumps to more than 40 percent — higher than some types of the Ebola virus.

A Dilantin class action lawsuit investigation has been launched to explore the possibility of filing a Dilantin lawsuit against the makers of drugs linked to SJS and TEN. The class action lawsuit could allege that drug manufacturers were aware, or reasonably should have been aware, of the risk of SJS and TEN. The Dilantin lawsuit may further allege that drug manufacturers actively downplayed these risks, endangering the lives of patients. Such a lawsuit may take the form of a class action lawsuit or multidistrict litigation.