Motrin Caused Burn-Like Wounds, Surgeon Says

The continued Thursday, with a surgeon saying the plaintiff had wounds that "would have been the equal of a second-degree burn." The surgeon also said the man's condition is caused by an adverse reaction to pain killer.

Christopher Trejo, a 22-year-old Honduran citizen who legally resides in the U.S., claims he acquired toxic epidermal necrolysis (a.k.a. Lyell's Syndrome) due to the drug. He filed his against the makers of Motrin in September 2008.

When Trejo, who lives in the Santa Monica/Venice area, was brought to the U.S. for treatment, he was handled like a burn patient, Dr. Arthur Sanford said. Trejo has alleged that taking Motrin caused his skin to peel off his body.

 took place Tuesday and Wednesday. A lawyer for the makers of the pain reliever defending the label advisory on the bottles. Attorney Kari Sutherland, who is representing McNeil Consumer Healthcare, the makers of Motrin, told a Los Angeles Superior Court jury that Trejo stopped using the pain reliever when his health problems, which include eye problems and blisters in his mouth, developed. She argued that his decision to stop taking the drug proved that the label advisory on the bottles was clear.

The advisory did not, however, mention skin reddening, rashes and blister warnings as possible side effects of taking the drug. Subsequently, the Food and Drug Administration ordered that those potential side effects be mentioned on the new advisory on ibuprofen bottles.

Trejo claims the defendants, in purposely not putting Motrin's known risks on its bottle labels, placed an "emphasis on corporate profits at the expense of the health and safety of consumers." He contends that he will continue to suffer physically and psychologically for the rest of his life.

"Millions of people have used ibuprofen for decades," Sutherland said, arguing that the pain killer is generally safe.

Brian Witzer, Trejo's lawyer, said the side effects of using the over-the-counter drug have affected Trejo's eyes, internal organs and private parts.

"He has burns from the inside out," Witzer argued earlier Tuesday. "Instead of being an aspiring college student, he's basically just coping."

Trejo is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. His medical costs are $600,000.

After coming down with a fever in Honduras in late 2005, Trejo bought and started using Motrin in the U.S. The aspiring pediatrician, whose father is a doctor, had been in good health, according to his court papers.

He "carefully read the label on the drug's bottle for any warnings and adverse side effects," the suit states. "Relying on the drug's label, Christopher continued taking the medication as instructed."

Four days later, Trejo felt bloody bumps in his mouth and his eyes became red. He was then admitted to a hospital and diagnosed with Stevens Johnson Syndrome. The disease, which is life-threatening, attacks internal and external organs including the dermatologic, digestive, neurological, skeletal and visual systems.

A day after going to the hospital, skin lesions spread from his mouth and face to his abdomen and genitals, and blisters eventually covered more than half his body. At that point, his illness was reclassified to toxic epidermal necrolysis, which is more severe.

"By the fourth day of hospitalization, 100 percent of Christopher's body surface was damaged as his skin began to literally detach from all over his body, including the bottoms of his feet, the palms of his hands and his fingernails," the suit alleges. "The extent of skin involvement was captured in photographs taken during his hospitalization and can best be described as snapshots directly out of hell."

The suit names Johnson & Johnson, the McKesson Corp. and McNeil Consumer Healthcare. Motrin is manufactured, sold and distributed by McNeil, of which Johnson & Johnson is the parent company. McKesson distributed the drug in California.

"Motrin has been proven safe and effective for the treatment of minor aches and pains and fever when used as directed, and the medicine is labeled appropriately," McNeil Consumer Healthcare spokeswoman Bonnie Jacobs said. "We strongly recommend consumers read the product label for dosing information and warnings and talk with their health care professional if they have any questions or concerns."

Jury selection for the trial began a week ago. The final stage of jury selection took place Monday. The trial is anticipated to last 25 to 40 days.

City News Service contributed to this report.