People of Asian descent may be more susceptible to suffering from Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TENS) after taking the epilepsy drug Tegretol, according to new studies that reveal a link to a variation that exists in Asian DNA.

The Archives of Dermatology recently reported that FDA recommendations state that people that are of Asian descent should be tested for a genetic variant that may make them more likely to suffer from Stevens-Johnson syndrome after taking Tegretol.

Many doctors are not following this recommendation, which has been associated with patients who have suffered SJS from taking Tegretol. According a study that was conducted by the Archives of Dermatology and published on December 20, 2010, HLA-B* 1502 is a gene variant that may exist only in Asians. This information was based on studying a 16-year-old Asian boy who developed TENS, a stronger form of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, after he took Tegretol. During his bout with TENS, the boy had lesions that covered 70 percent of his body before treatment for the condition helped him recover.

Some researchers believe that it was the boy’s gene variant that may have contributed to his severe reaction to Tegretol. Back in 2007, the FDA suggested that those doctors that prescribed Tegretol as an epileptic anticonvulsant treatment should test their Asian patients for the HLS-B1502 gene variant before prescribing the drug. This testing also was meant to include any other drug that was carbanazapine-based.

The FDA wanted those “with ancestry across broad areas of Asia, including South Asian Indians” tested because a recent study suggested that this gene may be found in as many as 10 percent of the Han Chinese population. FDA officials believe that is a contributing factor in the susceptibility of Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

If you have developed TENS or Stevens-Johnson syndrome, you may be eligible for financial compensation. Contact Greg Jones Law for a free consultation. I will fight hard to get you any money that you may be entitled to.