Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Tibotec Therapeutics, makers of prescription medication Intelence (etravirine) used to control HIV infection in adults, recently notified health care professionals that the medication has been linked to a rare but life-threatening skin condition known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome, SJS.

Early this year, Intelence was approved by the the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the treatment of HIV. At that time, data indicated a slight risk of SJS.

SJS, and its most severe form, toxic epidermal necrolysis, TEN, are identified by a rash on the skin that blisters over causing the skin to peel off in sheets. The condition is extremely painful and often requires hospitalization to treat the open wounds on the skin, mouth, eyes and other mucous membranes. Complications include infection, dehydration, vision problems, organ dysfunction and death.

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When he was not quite 2 years old, James Lumasag was diagnosed with a rare but life threatening skin condition after receiving a round of antibiotics to treat a cough and fever. The toddler fought for his life in the intensive care unit of a hospital, where he received 22 bags of plasma as his skin peeled away from his body. “His whole body, except his head, looked totally burnt,” his mother Merlyn said. “James suffered too much.”

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The family of a 19-year-old girl who died last March from complications of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is releasing recordings of songs she performed to help raise money for the critical care unit at Nottingham City Hospital in England, according to This is Derbyshire.

Amy Lightfoot, was diagnosed with SJS in January and spent several weeks in the critical are unit at Nottingham City Hospital until her death last March. SJS is a rare but life-threatening condition in which a rash forms on top layer of skin, blisters over and peels away. Blisters can also form on the eyes, throat, mouth and internal organs. SJS is a severe adverse reaction to medication, such as ibuprofen, antibiotics and anti-seizure medication.

The recordings will be sold along with a CD by the band No Eyed Deer, of which Amy and her boyfriend Lee Brown were members. Amy’s parents say selling the music to raise money for the hospital is a perfect way to give back to the hospital that cared for her.

“The staff who treated Amy at the hospital were just fantastic, but being there for so long makes you realize the cost of the equipment they are using – a ventilator alone costs about 30,000 pounds,” Amy’s mother Carol said.

Carol said she was previously unaware of her daughter’s recordings, which are titled Satellite and Waiting. “They were done while she was studying at the Joseph Wright Centre and we thought releasing them would be a nice way of remembering Amy, while raising money at the same time,” she said.

Consumers are urged to take a close look at the labels of both over-the-counter and prescription medications and be aware of the potential side effects, according to Frank Woodson, shareholder with Beasley Allen Law Firm. Woodson was quoted in a recent issue of Lawsuit.com, warning consumers about Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or SJS, a rare but life-threatening reaction to many frequently used medications.

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Here’s an update to a story we brought you Monday about the sister of a newspaper managing editor who was diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS). Mark Cripps says in an update column in Ancaster News that his sister Lisa is gradually recovering.

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Mark Cripps’ sister Lisa has fought for much in her life. She is now in for what may be the fight of her life.

As a young child, Lisa contracted pneumonia and spent a month in the hospital. She grew up with an abusive stepmother and struggled through a difficult marriage. Despite the obstacles, she managed to raise two children and find a career in real estate. But last week, the young woman with an infectious personality, hit another road block. She was diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), an adverse reaction to antibiotics prescribed to her following minor surgery.

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It’s good to hear SpunkyRachel’s voice again. She is the woman we first met last December, who put video testimonials on YouTube about her experience with Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or SJS. In the early videos, her hair is missing and white patches cloud her dark skin. She had just been released from the hospital, where she stayed for several weeks, much of that time in a drug-induced coma where she clung on to life.

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Russian prosecutors have closed their investigation into the mysterious death of investigative journalist Yuri Shchekochikhin, citing a rare but life threatening adverse reaction to medication as the likely cause of his death, known as toxic epidermal necrolysis, or TEN, according to Reuters.

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Drug maker Tibotec, which specializes in innovative therapeutic and diagnostic solutions for infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, is seeking approval from the FDA for its latest HIV treatment, Intelence, based on data from its phase-three studies of the drug when used in combination with other antiretroviral agents, according to a press release from Hays Pharma, a global pharmaceutical and biotech staffing and recruitment business.

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At a mere 139 pounds, Ryan Mead was a far cry from his 167-pound fighting weight. The Marysville-Pilchuck, Washington, high school senior is the captain of his wresting team. The fact that he showed up for the Class 4A District 1 Wresting Tournament in the first place was heroic, according to the Herald Net. Ryan had just recovered from a serious, life-threatening condition known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or SJS.

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