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Girl, 6, Blinded by Ibuprofen Allergy

When Sabrina Johnson was 6, in 2003, she developed a mild fever her parents treated with three doses of Motrin given over the course of two days.  When the Topanga Canyon, California, child developed a skin rash, her mother gave her more Motrin.

The rash escalated into nasty lesions surrounding her lips and eyes, diagnosed as painful chemical burns of the mucous membranes caused by a rare allergic reaction to ibuprofen, the active ingredient in Motrin.  After two weeks of hospitalization, Sabrina was able to return home but she remains blinded and her face scarred by the reaction to the drug.  Even now, she suffers pain in bright light.

Sabrina’s parents say they would have never given their daughter the Motrin if the label on the product had warned of life-threatening allergic reactions even if the chance of developing the allergic reaction is rare.

The parents filed a product-liability lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, the company that manufactures Motrin.  The attorney representing the family claims the company “purposefully and callously” hid the dangers of ibuprofen from federal regulators.

An attorney representing the pharmaceutical company says the case against the company cannot be proven.

Source: Fox News

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