New Numbers from FDA Freedom of Information Show How Dangerous the Fluoroquinolone aka Quinolone Antibiotics Can Be

The FDA and pharmaceutical companies have with held valuable information from the medical community and general public regarding the Fluoroquinolone aka Quinolone antibiotcs. The adverse drug reactions that are occurring could have been prevented had the FDA and pharmaceutical companies revealed the serious reactions which are occurring. People have their lives destroyed by these antibiotics. These antibiotics are handed out like candy. They were intended as a LAST-line of defense against infections, but, they are used as a FIRST-line of defense antibiotic. These antibiotics are also used for cancer treatment. The FDA is not doing their job in protecting the consumer. However, Europe knows all about the problems with the Fluoroquinolone aka Quinolone antibiotics.

(PRWEB) July 19, 2005

Now that there has been national attention regarding Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra, Redux, Phen-Fen, Viagra and Cialis, when will the consumer and medical community be advised of the devastating, physical, psychological and even death from the Fluoroquinolone antibiotics?

Countless lives have been destroyed and yet the FDA and pharmaceutical companies who make these antibiotics do NOTHING or just turn their head away from the problems. From the FDA Freedom of Information (if one wants a more detailed count, it costs lots of money) here are some startling numbers from their reports from November 1, 1997 to present.

Cipro -

Total Reactions=27,893

Total Deaths Outcomes by Case:624

Total Individual Safety Reports:6,292

Levaquin -

Total Reactions=28,061

Total Death Outcomes by Case:628

Total Individual Safety Reports:7,118

Floxin Â–

Total Reactions=11,000

Total Death Outcomes by Case:249

Total Individual Safety Reports:2,478

Tequin Â–

Total Reactions = 12,181

Total Death Outcomes by Case:151

Total Individual Safety Reports:4,180

Avelox Â–

Total Reactions=19,454

Total Deaths by Case:199

Total Individual Safety Reports:5,165

Trovan Â–

Total Reactions=24,328

Total Deaths by Case:239

Total Individual Safety Reports:5,081

**Trovan is limited use Â– used in nursing homes and hospitals. Was withdrawn from the retail market**

These numbers are about one percent of what is reported, as quoted by personnel at the FDA. Not everyone files a MedWatch report or even knows how to go about filing one.

How can this be ignored? The deaths alone are greater than any other drug which has been either withdrawn or public awareness was finally given to the consumer and medical community.

Fluoroquinolone aka Quinolone antibiotics adverse drug reactions have been known by the pharmaceutical companies and FDA for years. The serious adverse drug reactions have not been made known to physicians and patients. The pharmaceutical companies market their drug in a reckless manner. The FDA does nothing. These antibiotics were to be used as a LAST-line of defense instead of a FIRST-line of defense which is happening now. They are being handed out like candy. Or worse yet, these drugs are used as the standard protocol in operating rooms across the country, so, a person has no idea why they have: Cardiovascular damage, peripheral neuropathy, cns damage, tendon and muscle damage including tynosynovitis, tendonosis, tendonitis, atrophy, joint and bone damage, vision problems, hearing loss, liver damage, kidney damage, cancer, brain toxicity, toxic psychosis, and death. just to name a few. More disturbing is the adverse drug reactions listed can be long lasting or permanent (which the drug companies and FDA use the word Â“prolongedÂ”). Also to mention is that the adverse drug reaction can happen during and AFTER therapy of a Fluoroquinolone antibiotic:

Because the FDA and pharmaceutical companies failed to warn of these serious adverse drug reactions when they first learned of them years ago, as required by law, these companies and FDA have evaded litigation by dodging under the statute of limitations. With these actions, the FDA and pharmaceutical companies have committed fraud, depraved indifference and a number of other violations of the law. This behavior must be addressed and justice served.

The FDA and pharmaceutical companies should be held liable for the disabilities, loss of income and medical bills attributed to the dangerous adverse drug reactions of this class of antibiotic drugs. The FDA and pharmaceutical companies have long been aware of these issues and continually do nothing about it. By law, if the pharmaceutical companies know their products have a huge safety issue, as is here, they are required to notify the medical community and general public through amended product labeling, Dear Doctor letters and advertisements in clinical and research journals, publications and other media sources.

The Government needs to fully investigate this issue and misconduct of the FDA and pharmaceutical companies. The Government needs to implement a procedure for the victims of this misconduct of the FDA and pharmaceutical companies and to be compensated for the damages they have suffered Â– not withstanding existing statutes of limitations.

What logical explanation can the FDA and pharmaceutical companies have as to why there is a lack of communication existing between the medical communities and general public in America, whereas in Europe, the facts that have been listed, Dear Doctor letters have been written, etc., have been known to Europeans for years!! AND both the consumer and medical communities have this knowledge.

But the $64.00 dollar question is WILL the Government do something? Anything? One has to remember the corruption that has plagued the AmericanÂ’s for years. One must remember too that the head of the FDA prior to Mark McClellan was a Veterinarian!! Maybe we all should have been born an animal. At least the Veterinarians were informed by mail by the pharmaceutical company and FDA..

This has to stop. NOW!

Http://www. fqvictims. org (http://www. fqvictims. org)

Http://www. geocities. com/quinolones/ (http://www. geocities. com/quinolones/)

Http://www. geocities. com/quinolones/adrIndex. html (http://www. geocities. com/quinolones/adrIndex. html)

Http://www. drugvictims. org/ (http://www. drugvictims. org/)

Http://www. fqresearch. org (http://www. fqresearch. org)

Http://health. groups. yahoo. com/group/quinolones/messages/?threaded=1 (http://health. groups. yahoo. com/group/quinolones/messages/?threaded=1)

Http://www. medicationsense. com/ (http://www. medicationsense. com/)

Http://www. rxlist. com/rxboard/levaquin. pl (http://www. rxlist. com/rxboard/levaquin. pl)

Http://www. medicationsense. com/articles/july_sept_03/reactions_cipro_other. html (http://www. medicationsense. com/articles/july_sept_03/reactions_cipro_other. html)

Http://www. medicationsense. com/articles/jan_mar_04/congress_ltrhtml (http://www. medicationsense. com/articles/jan_mar_04/congress_ltrhtml)

Http://medications. com/index. php? act=se&drug=Levaquin (http://medications. com/index. php? act=se&drug=Levaquin)

Http://www. askapatient. com/viewrating. asp? drug=20635&name=LEVAQUIN (http://www. askapatient. com/viewrating. asp? drug=20635&name=LEVAQUIN)

Http://www. askapatient. com/viewrating. asp? drug=19537&name=CIPRO (http://www. askapatient. com/viewrating. asp? drug=19537&name=CIPRO)

Http://www. worstpills. org/recent_postings. cfm (http://www. worstpills. org/recent_postings. cfm) Drug Induced Peripheral Neuropathy from Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics