Studies indicate that the anti-epileptic drug Dilantin can cause rare but adverse reactions such as the potentially fatal skin disorders Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN).

Dilantin, manufactured by Pfizer, is one of the most commonly prescribed and longest-running anti-seizure medications in the U.S. Pfizer and its predecessor companies have been marketing Dilantin since 1936. The medication works to control seizures by slowing down impulses in the brain.

Despite its long run of success, the seizure medication has been linked to Dilantin SJS. Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and its more severe form Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are inflammatory disorders of the skin triggered by an allergic reaction to certain drugs, including Dilantin.

SJS is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, eyes, genital tract and intestinal tract. Ulcers inside the mouth are common, and can cause irritation to the throat, tongue, gums, and lips.

Affected individuals may also have skin rashes, lesions, blisters and bleeding in the lips, eyes, mouth, nasal passage and genital areas.

As the SJS rash evolves, the skin sloughs off in sheets. When more than 30 percent of the body is affected, the condition is upgraded to TEN.

SJS and TEN patients are typically treated in a hospital’s burn unit. If the skin lesions become infected, or the patient develops lesions in the lungs, it can cause death.

Dilantin SJS & TEN Risks

As early as 1939 scientific publications have reported cases of SJS and TEN caused by Dilantin.  These articles include Dilantin-related reports of TEN in both adult and pediatric populations.

Starting in the 1980’s, there was overwhelming epidemiological and clinical evidence of the causal relationship and increased risks between Dilantin and SJS/TEN. Scientists reported that Dilantin was one of the drugs most commonly implicated in causing Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.

In 1995, the largest epidemiological study on SJS and TEN, partially funded by drug companies, was published in the New England Journal of Medicine by the Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reaction Study Group (SCAR), which was an international case-control study to evaluate the relative risks of drugs associated with SJS and TEN.

In that study, the authors reported that Dilantin had a relative risk of 53, which represented a significant increase in the risk of SJS and TEN associated with Dilantin

In another study published in 2002, a multi-center review of TEN cases from 15 burn centers across the U.S. reported that over 20 percent of all TEN cases were caused by Dilantin from 1995 to 2000.

Dilantin Stevens Johnson Syndrome Lawsuits

More than 100 Dilantin SJS lawsuits have been filed claiming the anticonvulsant caused SJS or TEN, and alleging that Pfizer did not properly warn customers about the extensive risks of skin problems that can result from drug.

In October 2010, Pfizer settled a Dilantin lawsuit for $3.78 million. The legal action was brought by the family of a nine-year-old New York girl who died after taking the drug for only several weeks.

In January 2011, a Dilantin lawsuit was filed against Pfizer in Michigan by three plaintiffs. Two of the plaintiffs claimed they developed Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis after taking Dilantin. The third plaintiff alleged her husband died from SJS.

If you or a loved one took Dilantin and suffered from Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), you may be entitled to damages from the manufacturer of the drug.