Last Updated on October 14, 2022 by Neelam Singh
Quick Take
A video posted in a Facebook group named Covid-19 Adverse Reactions Group shows a women suffering from stevens johnson syndrome. Referring the video, social media users claimed that SJS is caused by Covid vaccine. We fact-checked and found the claim is Mostly False. The woman herself has explained in a TikTok video that her condition is a side effect induced by Lamictal, a mood-stabilising drug.
The Claim
A Facebook group titled ‘Covid-19 Adverse Reactions Group’ shared a post showing a 27-year-old woman named Emily Herbert suffering from stevens johnson syndrome. This analysis is based on her GoFundMe page and her updates on social media posts. Same video is available on Twitter, where social media users have linked the symptoms with the covid vaccine.
Fact Check
What is Stevens Johnson Syndrome?
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a disorder of the skin and mucous membranes. It is an adverse reaction to certain medication that has flu-like symptoms, followed by a painful rash and blisters. A much serious condition can shed the skin’s top layer which takes several days to heal.
Did the woman in the claimed video have SJS from the covid vaccine?
Not exactly. No evidence confirms the woman in the claimed video had the syndrome from the covid vaccine. We went through all the social media handles of the woman in the claimed video and found that she uploaded her daily updates only on TikTok. As India continues to ban TikTok, we referred to the fact check by Reuters, where it is shown that the woman herself claimed her condition was an adverse reaction to Lamictal, which is a mood-stabilising drug.
Which medications cause Stevens Johnsom Syndrome?
A paper published in 2017 confirms Lamictal/lamotrigine can cause the syndrome.
The book ‘Stevens Johnson Syndrome’ shows medicines which cause the syndrome. The list includes sulfonamides, antibiotics and anticonvulsants including lamotrigine. Even allopurinol, paracetamol, nevirapine and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause the syndrome.
Can covid vaccines cause Stevens Johnson Syndrome?
May be. The available scant evidence does suggest covid vaccine can cause stevens johnson syndrome. But every case study discusses a single patient. The sample size is not enough to establish the syndrome as a side effect of covid vaccines.
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