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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Another medication has been added to the list of drugs that have been associated with a rare but life-threatening skin reaction known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), and its most severe form, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Lamictal (Lamotrigine )ODT (orally disintegrating tablets) is a prescription medication for epilepsy and for the maintenance of bipolar disorder. It’s maker, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (GSK) has added the conditions to the PRECAUTIONS and ADVERSE REACTIONS sections of its labeling.

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) along with OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Genetech has announced that new safety information has been added to the WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS sections of the prescribing information for the cancer drug erlotinib, known by the brand name Tarceva. The new labeling warns health care professionals of the risk of sometimes fatal conditions of gastrointestinal perforations, and bullous, blister and exfoliative skin conditions including cases suggestive of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and its most serious form, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), during the use of Tarceva.

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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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You’ve likely seen the commercials for Detrol. A woman is sitting in her doctor’s office and a woman-shaped figure similar to the ones seen on bathroom doors, is encouraging her to talk to her doctor about her frequent and sudden urges to go to the bathroom. The treatment has helped women find relief from overactive bladder.

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“This is not right and could have been prevented,” writes someone who commented on Cloanne Andrus Pesquera’s obituary in The Spectrum. Cloanne, 41, died May 30, 2009, after battling a rare but life-threatening condition called Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or SJS. The woman who commented on the story said she had lost her mother to SJS/TEN in 2006. She believes Cloanne’s death, like her mother’s, could have been prevented.

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A Leeds, England woman is raising money to help a 4-year-old Pakistani boy see again. She could relate.

Patricia Roberts is a survivor of two bouts of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), a rare but life-threatening condition caused by an adverse reaction to common medication. The condition presents with a rash on the skin that blisters over and causes the skin to peel off in sheets. Victims are susceptible to infection and are often treated in burn units. Blisters also can form in the mouth or on the eyes, which can lead to dehydration or vision problems.

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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.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in partnership with OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Genentech have issued a warning letter to healthcare professionals informing them of new safety information added to the WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS section of the cancer treatment drug Tarceva.

The new information, gathered from a clinical study and postmarketing reports, revealed sometimes fatal incidences of gastrointestinal perforation, bullous, blistering and exfoliative skin conditions including cases suggestive of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and/or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and ocular disorders including corneal perforation or ulceration.

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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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