What is SJS? Who does it affect?

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), and TENS (Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Syndrome) another form of SJS—are severe adverse reactions to medication. Adverse drug reactions (ADR’s) account for approximately 150,000 deaths per year in the U.S. alone, making drug reactions the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
SJS is one of the most debilitating ADR’s recognized. It was first discovered in 1922 by pediatricians A.M. Stevens and F.C. Johnson after diagnosing a child with severe ocular and oral involvement to a drug reaction.

Almost any medication including over-the-counter drugs, such as Ibuprofen, can cause SJS. Most commonly implicated drugs are anti-convulsants, antibiotics (such as sulfa, penicillin and cephalosporin) and anti-inflammatory medications.

Although SJS afflicts people of all ages, a large amount of its victims are children. More female cases have been reported than male, however it does not discriminate against anyone. The SJS Foundation hears from people around the world who suffer from SJS and TENS.