[Drug allergy].

This article reviews recent progresses on the treatment, prevention and management of drug allergy. Life-threatening drug reactions, also referred to as severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), include Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) and anaphylactic type drug reaction. Accurate evaluation of the severity of drug reaction in early period must be critical to minimize the mortality. Japanese SCAR research group advocated the criteria for diagnosis and the guideline for the treatment of SJS and TEN with systemic steroid in early stage. For prevention, studies on the prevalence of the HLA genotype in SCARs due to each medicine are in progress. A financial relief system for patients by PMDA (pharmaceuticals and medical devices agency) is introduced.