With epilepsy being such a common problem in the US, it is easy to see why Lamictal is such a popular drug. Lamictal or Lamotrigine – is an anti-convulsion drug prescribed to patients as young as 2 years old. It is not only used as an anti-convulsant, but also to treat bipolar disorder. Until 2009, Lamictal was manufactured without important black box warning labels detailing that Lamictal could have side effects as serious as Aseptic Meningitis and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. Though cases of this are rare, it was determined by the FDA that there was a link between Aseptic Meningitis, SJS, and Lamictal.

In 2013, David Obedlam was prescribed Lamictal by his psychiatrist, which cued him to take the initiative that many patients do not do research on Lamictal at home. Much to his surprise, Obedlam discovered that Lamictal is strongly linked to SJS, and that his psychiatrist never informed him of these potentially deadly side effects. Even with immediate treatment, SJS survivors live with lifelong disabilities and permanent disfigurements. There is no cure for SJS and the only method of surviving SJS is treating the symptoms and hoping that the body can heal itself quicker than the disease can spread.

Obedlam claims that his psychiatrist nonchalantly mentioned that a rash is one of the mentioned side effects, but was never informed that SJS was the culprit. Obedlam claims that he was advised that if he found a rash, to go to the emergency room; However he was only told that this happened in the rarest of cases and it was truly “worst-case scenario” advice. “He did not tell me that, according to this package insert, that this rash is serious — and potentially fatal — and a condition where, as near as I can decipher … the skin and mucous membranes die in splotches and falls off. It’s treated like a serious burn, like you’d been napalmed.” claims Obedlam.

In 2009 though, due to cases like Obedlam’s and FDA research, Lamictal was granted a Black Box Warning label and GlaxoSmithKline was fined and assigned antitrust to prescribe Lamictal, coupled with payment reversals. There is no verdict, though, that can reverse the damage that Lamictal caused to its lifelong sufferers.

If you or a loved one has suffered from SJS, was diagnosed with Aseptic Meningitis, or had a child who was born disfigured, contact Wormington & Bollinger’s team of lawyers to fight for you and your right to be compensated for your injuries.