Bextra Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), a rare inflammatory skin disorder that can be fatal, causes lesions in the mouth, eyes, and on the body. Although the majority of cases occur in people between the ages of 20 and 40, SJS can occur at any age.

Permanent skin damage and scarring can occur. Lesions and blisters that occur internally on organs can cause serious inflammation of the lungs, heart, and kidneys. Up to 27 percent of those afflicted with SJS or related illnesses incur long- term eye damage or vision loss. As many as 15 percent of those who develop the syndrome will die from the condition.

SJS & Bextra

Serious side effects appear to occur more often for patients taking Bextra than for other COX-2 agents and traditional NSAIDs such as naproxen and ibuprofen which also have a risk for the rare, serious skin reactions of Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

Results from a recent study of more than 1500 patients who had just had cardiac surgery show that patients who took Bextra for pain relief were more likely to have heart and blood clotting problems than patients who did not receive any drug. The patients taking Bextra had increased incidents of include heart attack, stroke, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism.

In April 2005, the FDA asked Pfizer, the manufacturer of Bextra, to remove Bextra from the market. In October 2008, Pfizer reached an $894 million settlement in which it agreed to settle most lawsuits related to risk of heart attack and strokes over the withdrawn pain reliever Bextra.

Bextra has been banned in Canada and Europe. The drug Celebrex, which is similar to Bextra, is still on the market and still poses a risk to consumers.

Contact us for help

If you have questions about Bextra and SJS, or if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrome due to taking Bextra, contact Greg Jones & Associates. You may qualify to recover for damages or remedies.