For many, Advil is a common medication kept in the home and used to treat simple problems such as headache, fever, or menstrual cramping. It is so commonplace that many Advil users may assume that it has no serious side effects; however, the anti-inflammatory drug has actually been linked with ibuprofen SJS.

A serious skin condition that can cause permanent and even life-threatening injuries, Ibuprofen SJS is a rare side effect of taking Advil. Many consumers don’t even know that a medication they take without a second thought in order to treat simple headaches can place them at such a severe risk.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is a life-threatening allergic condition; its more advanced form is Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). People who have developed Ibuprofen SJS after taking the medication may be able to file a lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, Inc., the drug’s manufacturer.

Ibuprofen Basics

Ibuprofen is a common drug used to treat several mild ailments including headaches, joint pain, fever, and cramping. One of ibuprofen’s several brand names is Advil, which is one of the few drugs that is a household name.

Ibuprofen has been in use for a long time—it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decades ago, back in 1974. Ibuprofen drugs, including Advil, belong to a group of medications known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, also known as NSAIDs.

What is Ibuprofen SJS?

Any medication will, of course, come with certain minor side effects, and ibuprofen drugs like Advil are no exception. Mild side effects of ibuprofen include nausea, mild itching or rash, and dizziness—and these are all warned about on the labeling to ensure that consumers are well aware of these risks. However, ibuprofen warning labels do not include the risk of SJS, leaving the majority of consumers totally unaware of this danger when they take the drug.

Some of the effects of ibuprofen SJS and its more advanced form TEN can be irreversible and, in some cases, life-threatening.

Early signs of ibuprofen SJS resemble symptoms of the flu such as fever, cough, fatigue, or a sore throat. These problems may be quickly dismissed, as they seem fairly mild. But soon, the more recognizable symptom of SJS appears in the form of a red or purple rash. The rash quickly spreads across a patient’s skin, causing large portions of skin to blister and peel off.

The more advanced form of Stevens Johnson Syndrome is Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. The reclassification occurs when the condition spreads to cover over 30 percent of the body. TEN is a much more severe form of the reaction. The mortality rate linked with SJS is 15 percent, while the mortality rate of TEN is closer to 40 percent.

Unfortunately, of those patients who do recover from ibuprofen SJS a few are often left with serious and lasting side effects. Patients who recover from ibuprofen SJS may be left with permanent scarring or discoloration, eye complications, blindness, and more.

Filing a Lawsuit over Ibuprofen SJS

If you or someone you love has suffered from ibuprofen SJS after taking Advil, you may be able to file an ibuprofen SJS lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering of a condition like ibuprofen SJS or TEN, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical costs and lost wages.