Levaquin Lawsuit In Minnesota Moves Forward
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3292665
A number of lawsuits are currently running that involve Avelox, Cipro, and Levaquin, in which the plaintiffs all claim that the drugs contributed to the development of peripheral neuropathy. The U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, has recently moved forward another Levaquin lawsuit and provided an update on the state of affairs. Specifically, it has been reported that 738 individual lawsuits are currently pending in relation to fluoroquinolone, most of which are against Janssen Pharmaceutical, which produces Levaquin.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys are currently conferring and meeting with the defense on bellwether trial proposals. These involve 14 individual lawsuits in Pennsylvania’s Court of Common Pleas. It is believed that the counsel will ask the federal court to liaise with state court in order to schedule the cases.
Levaquin is a type of antibiotic with fluoroquinolone as its active ingredient. This is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics in this country, with millions of Americans using it, particularly for the treatment of bacterial infections, STDs, and pneumonia. However, recently, there have been concerns about the side effects of these types of drugs, suggesting that they outweigh the potential benefits.
The FDA stated in 2016 that fluoroquinolone should not be prescribe to anyone who has uncomplicated UTIs, acute bronchitis, or acute sinusitis, particularly when other options are available. The FDA has stated that the drug’s potential side effects, which affect the central nervous system, nerves, joints, muscles, and tendons, are unacceptable. Several patients claim that these side effects have proven to be permanent. The FDA has instructed drug manufacturers, including Janssen Pharmaceutical, to update their black box warning to reflect this.
In 2013, the FDA also ordered pharmaceutical companies to make the warnings about peripheral neuropathy more visible on their labels. This was after it was found that the original description did not indicate how quickly neuropathy can start, nor that it could be permanent. Manufacturers were also ordered to no longer classify it as a “rare” side effect. Additionally, patients often wonder why is peripheral neuropathy worse at night, which underscores the importance of clear and thorough warnings about the condition.
In the various lawsuits that Janssen Pharmaceutical is facing, the plaintiffs claim that the manufacturer knew of the potential risks associated with taking Levaquin, with knowledge existing since the 1990s. They also state that, despite orders from the FDA, current warnings remain confusing and inadequate.
###
Contact Drug-Lawsuits.org:
info@drug-lawsuits.org
Filed under: General Problems
Leave a Reply