Zithromax, known generically as azithromycin, is an antibiotic sold by Pfizer Inc. and used to treat mild to moderate bacterial infections. Also sold under the brand name “Zmax,” the drug became popular in the 1990s as it treated infections in only 5 days. Prior to Zithromax’s release, infection treatments typically took 9 or more days. Because Zithromax became known as an effective, short-term treatment, patients began specifically requesting the Pfizer drug from their physician.

Recently, however, the effectiveness of Zithromax has decreased as particular strains of bacterial infection have built up resistance to the antibitotic. Additionally, there are medical reports that suggest Zithromax has been over-prescribed. For example, while only 10 percent of sore throats require treatment with antibiotics, Zithromax has been prescribed to 60 percent of patients with sore throat symptoms.

In addition to this alleged over-prescription decreasing the effectiveness of the antibiotic, there are also several reports and Zithromax lawsuits that claim there are several severe Zithromax side effects. A couple of well-known and documented Zithromax side effects include Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and liver failure.

Zithromax Liver Damage

Several Zithromax side effect research studies have linked use of the Pfizer antibiotic to an increased risk of liver damage, elevated liver enzymes, jaundice, and death. Zithromax side effect victims have reported a number of different symptoms (including virtually no symptoms at all until the liver eventually failed).

Common symptoms of Zithromax liver damage are:

• Yellow eyes
• Jaundice
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain
• Clay-colored stool
• Dark urine
• Elevated or abnormal liver enzymes

Additionally, in January 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated Zithromax’s warning label to include the risk of liver failure, which has resulted in the death of some patients.

Zithromax SJS

Zithromax has also been linked to an increased risk of Stevens Johnson Syndrome, a rare and potentially fatal allergic reaction to medication. A 2006 report by the National Center for Biotechnology Information suggests that Zithromax caused the development of Stevens Johnson Syndrome in a 62-year-old patient and in a child, representing those most vulnerable to the Zithromax SJS condition.

Patients with Stevens Johnson Syndrome suffer skin lesions and blisters over their body, which result in the topmost layer of skin sloughing off. They may suffer internal burning, damage to their internal organs and mucous membranes, permanent vision damage, loss of hair and nails, and permanent scarring and respiratory problems. Common symptoms of SJS include:

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Fatigue
• Ulcers and other lesions
• Conjunctivitis of the eyes
• Rash
• Itching
• Joint aches
• Dry, itchy, or burning eyes

Some serious Zithromax SJS secondary complications include: loss of body fluids, shock, inflammation of the internal organs (such as the lungs, kidneys, liver, and heart), permanent skin damage and scarring, and even death. Recovery can take weeks to months, depending on the severity of the reaction.

In 2012, the FDA issued a  Zithromax Stevens Johnsons Syndrome warning to alert consumers of this rare, but potentially fatal, dermatological condition. During the same year,the FDA also issued a formal warning to Pfizer for failing to effectively warn patients of the risk of SJS after using Zithromax.

Zithromax Lawsuits

When a drug manufacturer produces and sells a dangerous drug, they become liable for any injuries allegedly caused by the drug. The law applies “strict liability” to dangerous drug lawsuits, such as the Zithromax side effects lawsuits currently in litigation. This means that if a drug is proven in court to be dangerous, the drug manufacturer must pay damages. Pfizer, the manufacturer of Zithromax, began receiving complaints about the drug as early as 1996, but it wasn’t until 2000 that Pfizer warned the public about the serious Zithromax side effects.