In Brief

A Massachusetts jury Feb. 13 ordered McNeil-PPC Inc. to pay $63 million to the family of a teenager who suffered toxic epidermal necrolysis after taking Children’s Motrin when she was 7 years old. The amount could exceed $109 million after factoring in a 12% annual interest rate since the case was filed, said a paralegal with the law firm that represented the family. The lawsuit filed in January 2007 against McNeil and parent company Johnson & Johnson alleges the firms were grossly negligent for failing to warn about the known risk of TEN in a manner that consumers could understand. A package insert w the ibuprofen product warns of a less than 1% “probable causal relationship” of developing TEN, according to the suit. A J&J/McNeil spokeswoman said the firm “sympathizes deeply” with the family, which “has suffered a tragedy.” She said TEN is “a very rare condition” and Children’s Motrin when used as directed is safe and effective. J&J has faced similar lawsuits with mixed results, including a case in 2011 in which a jury awarded $10 million to a 13-year-old and her family after she suffered a similar reaction to Children’s Motrin Also see "In Brief" - Pink Sheet, 30 May, 2011..