Unsafe at Any Dose; Irreversible Damage Associated with Fluoroquinolone Therapy
Plant City Florida (PRWEB) 01-12-2004

The Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation continues to collect post-marketing reports regarding the non-abating nature of the severe and crippling adverse drug reactions associated with fluoroquinolone therapy via the Internet. Since the research forum went on line in August of 2003, the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Forum hosted by Yahoo has received hundreds of reports, including numerous associated fatalities. The homepage for the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation, www.fqresearch.org has accumulated over 4000 medical journal entries, newspaper articles, post marketing reports, lawsuits and other such supporting data the clearly shows the rampant ignorance and denial within the medical community regarding the non-abating nature of such events.

For more than forty years, since the introduction of Nalidixic Acid in 1962, the victims of fluoroquinolone toxicity have been denied the medical care they so desperately need as their physicians have routinely failed to recognize, treat and report such events. Peripheral Neuropathy, spontaneous tendon rupture, severe and non abating joint and tendon damage, resulting from such toxicity, are all known, listed and published adverse drug reactions to these chemotherapeutic agents, commonly referred to as fluoroquinolones or quinolones. Yet the victims continue to be told by their physicians "it cannot be the drug".

Numerous news stories since the anthrax scare have documented such injuries with the most recent being the death of the daughter of one member of the research forum, whose death was the direct result of such careless scripting of these toxic and dangerous drugs. Another forum, the quinolone adverse drug reaction forum, hosted by Yahoo since February 14, 1999, has accumulated over 17,000 such post regarding the damage this class of chemotherapeutic agents can and will do. Recently the law firm of Sheller, Ludwig and Badey, one of the largest class action and medical malpractice firm in the Northeast, has filed a class action lawsuit against Bayer AG, the manufacturer of Cipro. This suit was filed on behalf of all those who have suffered such damage including the Capitol Hill Staff, the Washington Postal Workers, and the employees of the American Media who were exposed to Ciprofloxacin as a result of the Anthrax Scare. For information on joining this action log unto www.sheller.com

In spite of the overwhelming evidence of the non-abating nature of such injuries, the FDA continues to approve new drugs within this class together with new indications for those already on the market. Ignoring the 5,276 reports that include 473 associated deaths and 19,792 total reactions found within the AERS reports for Levofloxacin. Together with the 4,995 reports which include 480 associated deaths and 20,890 total reactions for Ciprofloxacin found within the AERS reports as well. Almost fifty percent of such chemotherapeutic agents have been removed from clinical practice or their use severely curtailed, due to toxicity issues. Yet, Mr. MacCarthy, Vice President of U.S. Medical Science at Bayer's West Haven facility states "If you are telling me that someone had these effects and they were persisting, long term, months to years after treatment I would be surprised." The members of the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation have been telling Mr. MacCarthy's employer exactly that for years. Those within the media who have an interest in interviewing those who "had these effects and they were persisting, long term, months to years after treatment" are welcomed to visit our website and forum. For we state unequivocally that Mr. MacCarthy is being less than forthright in the statements he has made. Such documentation has been made available to the firm he works for year after year. The adverse reactions experienced by the members have shown to be both persistent and non-abating, "year after year", contrary to what Mr. MacCarthy has stated publicly. As one member of the forum so eloquently stated, "Mr. MacCarthy is mistakened"(sic) as we have the documentation as well as hundreds of such victims to prove all that we state here which is available for public scrutiny.

For additional information:
http://www.fqresearch.org

About the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation
The foundation is a non profit organization consisting of those who have suffered irreversible and non-abating injury as a direct result of fluoroquinolone therapy. The foundation is dedicated to presenting the research regarding these issues in the hope of preventing such injury to others and to make such research readily available to those who have shown a prior interest. We strive to present accurate and up to date information to the victims of such scripting abuse so that they may be in a position to receive the medical care such rampant ignorance has denied them. Such documentation is readily available via the forum or the homepage www.fqresearch.org


Contact Information
Director
The Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation
http://www.fqresearch.org