Med News Today

Group seeks FDA ban on antibotic

From Consumer Affairs:

Public Citizen has petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the antibiotic Tequin because it is linked to blood sugar abnormalities and has caused deaths and hospitalizations.

The drug, made by Bristol-Myers Squibb and approved for use in the United States in December 1999, has been linked to severe cases of low blood sugar and high blood sugar. The company is withdrawing the drug but thousands of doses remain in the supply chain.

The drug is used to treat chronic bronchitis, acute sinusitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infection and gonorrhea. In 2005, 1.2 million prescriptions for the drug were filled.

According to Public Citizen's analysis of adverse events reported to the FDA, 388 patients had dangerously low or high blood sugar as a result of taking Tequin between Jan. 1, 2000, and June 30, 2005. Of those, 20 people died and 159 were hospitalized.

Rest of story

If you think you may have been harmed by this drug, contact a Pennsylvania Attorney.

posted by nattietodd @ 7:22 AM