Levaquin: An antibiotic with sometimes fatal side effects

Levaquin is a powerful antibiotic that’s a lifesaver for people with certain severe, potentially fatal infections. But it has serious side effects and should never be prescribed for people with lingering colds, minor bronchitis or other minor infections. The risk isn’t worth it.

Yet that’s what happened to thousands of unsuspecting victims. Levaquin belongs to a class of drugs called fluoroquinolones. Their rare side effects include severe tendonitis, hearing loss, retinal detachment, acute kidney failure, mitochondrial damage, depression, anxiety, suicide and blood sugar disturbances. They can also damage the heart, liver, skin, the gastrointestinal system and cause serious blood sugar disturbances.

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics were first developed in the 1960s. Some were swiftly withdrawn from the market after they caused severe reactions and, in some cases, deaths. One of the drugs severely damaged the liver. “From the 1980s to the end of 2015, 60,000 patients reported “thousands of adverse reactions” to fluoroquinolone drugs, including 6,575 deaths. In 2006, Public Citizen, a Washington, D.C. based consumer protection organization, began petitioning the FDA to add a Black Box warning to Levaquin since tendon ruptures associated fluoroquinolones were occurring at “a disturbing rate.” Most were associated with Levaquin.

FDA warnings about Levaquin

In 2008, the FDA added a Black Box warning to Levaquin – its most severe alert – but it didn’t write letters to doctors about the side effects. Still, some critics claimed for years its warnings were “grossly inadequate.” The FDA added more alerts in 2015, 2016 and 2018. In 2016, it recognized “the existence of fluoroquinolone associated disability” (FQAD). The New York Times warned in 2012 that patients often didn’t see its “highlighted alerts” and were “rarely informed of the risks by prescribing doctors.” An ABC affiliate in Florida reported in 2017 the warnings were “buried in the inserts” packaged with the drug instead of on the pill bottles.

Law suits against Johnson & Johnson growing

In 2012, the New York Times reported that Levaquin was the most popular antibiotic in the U.S. By 2017, Johnson & Johnson had removed it from the market. In 2010, the drug company settled a Levaquin lawsuit for $1.8 million. By 2012, victims had filed 3,400 lawsuits against the company, charging they weren’t told about Levaquin’s side effects. J&J settled 845 of them. Other law suits are pending in federal court.

Wayne Wright represents victims of bad drugs

Wayne Wright knows the danger from Levaquin isn’t over. Some pharmacies won’t run out of it until 2020. Meanwhile, a generic has taken its place and other fluoroquinolones are also still available. If they victimized you or a loved one, call Wayne Wright. Wayne Wright is one of America’s top trial lawyers. His many, national legal awards are based on top dollar results for his clients. Calls and evaluations are free. There’s no charge until he wins your case.