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Toxicity Research Foundation
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Press Releases and Letters | See downloads for: Adobe Files |
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Levaquin reported as having the most numerous, non-abating and severe adverse drug reactions associated with its use on Mediciations.com Plant City Florida (PRWeb) 2-11-2004 A review of the online adverse drug reaction reporting forum: www.Medications.com (online October 2002) reveals that Levaquin is associated with approximately17% of ALL adverse drug reactions being reported to this site, irregardless of the drug being reported upon. Medications.com started receiving such reports as of October of 2002. Medications.com is an Internet community that allows people interested in commonly prescribed drugs to interact so that they can discuss the implications -- both positive and negative of using these important tools in modern medicine. Medications.com list over 4,500 drugs in common use to date, users have posted thousands of side effects and messages about many of these drugs. The total number of adverse reactions, regardless of the drug mentioned, as of 2-11-2004, totals approximately 4,469. Levaquin, by far, received more such post than ANY other fluoroquinolone drug listed on this site. Of the 774 adverse reactions reported for all of the fluoroquinolones listed, 752 were for Levaquin. The only fatality listed for a fluoroquinolone was for Levaquin. 97.5% of all adverse reactions to the fluoroquinolones were reported for Levaquin. As such reports are received anonymously the verification of such reports is not feasible nor did the authors attempt this. But one can assume that receiving this many reports over the past sixteen months that the majority of such reports are indeed valid. This study also lacks the necessary controls required to present the above as fact and as such should be viewed for debating purposes only. A review of the side effects posted on Medications.com for the fluoroquinolone used in clinical practice in the United States reveals the following: Avelox 8 post Ciprofloxacin 7 post Floxin 5 post Levaquin 752 post w/(1) fatality Tequin 2 post The predominate adverse reactions reported for Levaquin are as follows: Nuerotoxicity Tendon Damage and or rupture Insomnia Non abating injury (multiskeletical) Peripheral Neuropathy Gastrointestinal Anxiety and Panic attacks Vision Problems Rash, sweats, taste perversions, hearing loss This trend is repeated on a number of adverse drug reaction forums dealing with the adverse drug reactions as they relate to the Fluoroquinolones. As the above data has not been verified other than visiting this site and doing a physical count the absolute accuracy has not been determined. However this article presents a survey of a specific population with mainly non-abating long-term symptoms from a different source than is commonly used to research such events. The conclusions reached raises serious concerns regarding the safety profile of Levaquin. The Internet offers a new perspective on fluoroquinolone-related adverse drug reactions, which with better-controlled investigations may warrant additional warnings within the package inserts regarding such events. The FDA should also review and reassess the cases relating to the Adverse Event Reporting System for Levaquin as well as the other fluoroquinolone antibiotics. If the occurrence of fluoroquinolone-associated adverse drug reactions of this severity and duration is confirmed, physicians need to be informed and warnings must be added to these drugs’ product information. In the meantime, physicians and other healthcare providers need to pay additional attention to the adverse drug reactions being reported to them by their patients and even mild adverse reactions involving the nervous or musculoskeletal systems should prompt immediate discontinuation. The number one complaint received from those who have suffered such an event is the fact that their physician failed to recognize, treat and report the adverse drug reaction they experienced while undergoing fluoroquinolone therapy. (Paraphrasing a similar statement regarding the non-abating injuries reported regarding the fluoroquinolones via the Internet as written originally by Dr. Jay S. Cohen; Peripheral Neuropathy Associated with Fluoroquinolones The Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2001 December, Volume 35 1) 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 |
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