Originally published January 24 2005
A new lawsuit blames a child's blindness on Motrin
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A 7-year-old child entered a lawsuit against the makers of Children's Motrin, saying that there was no warning on the label saying that it could cause an allergic reaction that would lead to blindness. The child has been diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, which can cause a fatal skin rash or a swelling of the mucous membranes that can cause blindness. Though her sight has been surgically restored, her eyes and skin are still extremely sensitive to sunlight.
A 7-year-old girl on Tuesday sued the maker of Children's Motrin for failing to label the over-the-counter drug with a warning that it could lead to an allergic reaction that caused her blindness.
The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges that Sabrina Brierton Johnson suffered from Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a potentially fatal rash of the skin and mucous membranes which caused her to go blind.
"As the makers of Children's Motrin products, we are deeply concerned with all matters related to our products and we are investigating the situation," said Bonnie Jacobs, a spokeswoman for McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals, the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary that makes Motrin.
In addition to her blindness and several eye surgeries, Sabrina Brierton Johnson is now extremely sensitive to sunlight and must be covered up to go outdoors, her mother said.
The lawsuit comes as pain relievers, both prescription and over-the-counter, face more scrutiny over their safety in the wake of Merck & Co. Inc.'s recall of Vioxx in September and recent studies that showed risks with Pfizer Inc.'s Celebrex and over-the-counter drug naproxen.
In addition to damages, the lawsuit calls for Children's Motrin to be removed from the market until it carries a warning label detailing the risk of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and describing its symptoms.
The lawsuit also lists as defendants the retailers and wholesalers that distributed the product: McKesson Corp., Cardinal Health Inc., Albertsons Inc.'s SAV-ON Drug Stores unit and Kroger Co.'s Ralphs Grocery Company.
Jean McCawley, founder of Stevens-Johnson Foundation whose daughter suffers from the condition, said Motrin and other forms of ibuprofen are not the only products linked to Stevens-Johnson.
Some anticonvulsants and antibiotics have been linked to the condition, she said.
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