Missouri Pharmaceutical Liability Lawyers Concerned about Deadly Levaquin Side Effects
Many of us take prescription drugs because we believe they will make us feel better or help us recover from our illnesses. And make no mistake – many prescription drugs do make us better. Modern medicine has progressed by leaps and bounds helping us prevent illness or the spread of infectious diseases. Almost all drugs have some type of side effect, but in most cases, those side effects are minimal and will disappear once the patient stops using the drug. However, there are some prescription drugs that cause dangerous side effects, which could result in severe complications or even death.
Levaquin is one such drug and has been known to cause serious complications and side effects. The dangerous drug Levaquin is manufactured by the company Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals. It is basically a synthetic drug agent, which is used to treat severe bacterial infections. Levaquin is in the fluoroquinolone class of anti-infectives. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave its stamp of approval to Levaquin in 1996. The company made more than $1.6 billion in Levaquin sales.
The most serious side effects from the use of Levaquin and other fluoroquinolone antibiotics include tendon damage or tendon ruptures. There have also been reports of nerve injury, joint pain, and cardiac effects. Last year, the FDA issued an alert saying that the manufacturers of these fluoroquinolone antibiotics must add a boxed warning to the prescription information about the increased risk of developing tendinitis and tendon rupture. The risk of developing these conditions is even higher in those over age 60, those with kidney, heart and lung transplants. Many in the medical community also believe that quinolones such as Levaquin may be toxic to human tissue causing serious, sometimes fatal, allergic skin reactions. Central nervous system effects such as convulsions, confusion, anxiety, depression and insomnia may also occur after the first dose.
If you have experienced one or more of these serious side effects as a result of taking Levaquin, please contact an experienced St. Louis products liability lawyer at Page Cagle for a free and comprehensive consultation. We will make sure that your legal rights are protected and that you receive fair compensation for your pain, suffering and loss. Call (866) 620-5757 for a free consultation.
