I have such mixed feelings about the FDA’s response to the November, 2015 Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee meeting regarding fluoroquinolone safety. On one hand, I feel like they really did hear those who testified, and they not only listened, they responded in a way that showed that they listened. The FDA did what the Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee recommended they do: they updated fluoroquinolone warnings to note that, “the serious side effects associated with fluoroquinolone antibacterial drugs generally outweigh the benefits for patients with acute sinusitis, acute bronchitis, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections who have other treatment options.” They not only updated the warning labels, they updated the black-box warnings–the most severe warning a drug can have. I am truly grateful for the steps forward in acknowledging fluoroquinolone adverse-reactions, and I’m hopeful that the updated warning labels will lead physicians and patients to realize that fluoroquinolones are dangerous drugs with potentially devastating consequences.

I wonder though, what good is an updated warning label? In the post, Who Reads the Drug Warning Labels? I go over the problem of people not knowing what is on the warning labels. Are physicians going to read the updated warning labels? Are patients? Is anyone other than the “floxie” community going to realize that the warning labels have been changed?

I appreciate the action taken by the FDA–I really do–but are updated warning labels actually going to change anything? Will fewer people get injured and killed by fluoroquinolones? I certainly hope that a significant portion of doctors hear about the warning label changes, and stop prescribing fluoroquinolones, but, unfortunately, the FDA isn’t taking any major steps to make this happen.

The FDA has no plans to inform individual doctors about the recent warning label changes made to fluoroquinolone warning labels. Even though the black-box warnings, again–the most severe warning label a drug can receive, have been updated to note that fluoroquinolones are associated with disabling and potentially irreversible serious adverse reactions, the FDA is not going to tell doctors about the changes. No “dear doctor” letter will be issued by the FDA. They will not do a massive publicity campaign to let physicians or patients know that the warning labels have been updated. They know about the dangers of fluoroquinolones, and, in their own way, they acknowledge them, but they’re not proactively communicating what they know to patients or physicians.

Since the FDA isn’t going to issue a “dear doctor” letter, it will likely be helpful if we (the people in the fluoroquinolone toxicity community, and those who care about drug safety) give the information the FDA has released to our doctors, local hospitals, and media.

I encourage everyone reading this to please, please, please send this information (that is directly from the FDA) to your doctors, the media, your friends, your loved ones, and anyone else who you think may benefit from the information. People need to know how dangerous Cipro/ciprofloxacin, Levaquin/levofloxacin, Avelox/moxifloxacin, and Factive/gemifloxacin are. In order for them to know how dangerous these drugs are, we need to tell them.

Please forward these FDA releases to those who need this information:

  1. 5/12/16 – Fluoroquinolone Antibacterial Drugs: Drug Safety Communication – FDA Advises Restricting Use for Certain Uncomplicated Infections
  2. 7/26/16 – FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA updates warnings for oral and injectable fluoroquinolone antibiotics due to disabling side effects
  3. July, 2016 Drug Safety Labeling Changes

Since most people don’t actually click on links, I’m also going to copy and paste what the FDA notices said (feel free to share this post with anyone who needs the information too).

Fluoroquinolone Antibacterial Drugs: Drug Safety Communication – FDA Advises Restricting Use for Certain Uncomplicated Infections:

AUDIENCE: Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Pharmacy, Patient

ISSUE: FDA is advising that the serious side effects associated with fluoroquinolone antibacterial drugs generally outweigh the benefits for patients with acute sinusitis, acute bronchitis, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections who have other treatment options. For patients with these conditions, fluoroquinolones should be reserved for those who do not have alternative treatment options.

An FDA safety review has shown that fluoroquinolones when used systemically (i.e. tablets, capsules, and injectable) are associated with disabling and potentially permanent serious side effects that can occur together. These side effects can involve the tendons, muscles, joints, nerves, and central nervous system.

As a result, FDA is requiring the drug labels and Medication Guides for all fluoroquinolone antibacterial drugs to be updated to reflect this new safety information. FDA is continuing to investigate safety issues with fluoroquinolones and will update the public with additional information if it becomes available.

See the FDA Drug Safety Communication for a list of currently available FDA approved fluoroquinolones for systemic use.

BACKGROUND: The safety issues described in the Drug Safety Communication were also discussed at an FDA Advisory Committee meeting in November 2015.

RECOMMENDATION: Patients should contact your health care professional immediately if you experience any serious side effects while taking your fluoroquinolone medicine. Some signs and symptoms of serious side effects include tendon, joint and muscle pain, a “pins and needles” tingling or pricking sensation, confusion, and hallucinations. Patients should talk with your health care professional if you have any questions or concerns.

Health care professionals should stop systemic fluoroquinolone treatment immediately if a patient reports serious side effects, and switch to a non-fluoroquinolone antibacterial drug to complete the patient’s treatment course.

Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

  • Complete and submit the report Online: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report

  • Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178

FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA updates warnings for oral and injectable fluoroquinolone antibiotics due to disabling side effects:

SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved changes to the labels of fluoroquinolone antibacterial drugs for systemic use (i.e., taken by mouth or by injection). These medicines are associated with disabling and potentially permanent side effects of the tendons, muscles, joints, nerves, and central nervous system that can occur together in the same patient. As a result, we revised the Boxed Warning, FDA’s strongest warning, to address these serious safety issues. We also added a new warning and updated other parts of the drug label, including the patient Medication Guide.

We have determined that fluoroquinolones should be reserved for use in patients who have no other treatment options for acute bacterial sinusitis, (ABS), acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (ABECB), and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) because the risk of these serious side effects generally outweighs the benefits in these patients. For some serious bacterial infections the benefits of fluoroquinolones outweigh the risks, and it is appropriate for them to remain available as a therapeutic option.

Patients must contact your health care professional immediately if you experience any serious side effects while taking your fluoroquinolone medicine. Some signs and symptoms of serious side effects include unusual joint or tendon pain, muscle weakness, a “pins and needles” tingling or pricking sensation, numbness in the arms or legs, confusion, and hallucinations. Talk with your health care professional if you have any questions or concerns (see List of Serious Side Effects from Fluoroquinolones).

Health care professionals should not prescribe systemic fluoroquinolones to patients who have other treatment options for acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS), acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (ABECB), and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) because the risks outweigh the benefits in these patients. Stop fluoroquinolone treatment immediately if a patient reports serious side effects, and switch to a non-fluoroquinolone antibacterial drug to complete the patient’s treatment course (see List of Currently Available FDA-approved Fluoroquinolones for Systemic Use).

Fluoroquinolones are antibiotic medicines that work by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria that can cause illness. They are FDA-approved to prevent or treat certain serious bacterial infections.

The labels of fluoroquinolone medicines already have a Boxed Warning for tendinitis, tendon rupture, and worsening of myasthenia gravis. The labels also include warnings about the risks of peripheral neuropathy and central nervous system effects. Other serious risks associated with fluoroquinolones are described in the labels, such as cardiac, dermatologic, and hypersensitivity reactions. After FDA’s 2013 review that led to the additional warning that peripheral neuropathy may be irreversible, FDA evaluated post-marketing reports* of apparently healthy patients who experienced disabling and potentially permanent side effects involving two or more body systems after being treated with a systemic fluoroquinolone (see Data Summary). We evaluated only reports submitted to FDA, so there are likely additional cases of which we are unaware. The side effects occurred within hours to weeks after starting the fluoroquinolone, and at the time we received the reports, the side effects had continued for an average of 14 months to as long as 9 years after stopping the medicines. Several cases reported that some side effects stopped or improved after discontinuation of the medicine; others reported the side effects worsened or continued.

We previously communicated about these safety issues associated with fluoroquinolones in May 2016. Additional communications about related safety issues associated with fluoroquinolones occurred in August 2013 (peripheral neuropathy) and July 2008 (tendinitis and tendon rupture). The safety issues described in this Drug Safety Communication were also discussed at an FDA Advisory Committee meeting in November 2015.

In addition to updating information in the Boxed Warning, we are also including information about these safety issues in the Warnings and Precautions section of the label. The Indications and Usage section contains new limitation-of-use statements to reserve fluoroquinolones for patients who do not have other available treatment options for acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS), acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (ABECB), and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI). The patient Medication Guide that is required to be given to the patient with each fluoroquinolone prescription describes the safety issues associated with these medicines. We are continuing to assess safety issues with fluoroquinolones as part of FDA’s usual ongoing review of drugs and will update the public if additional actions are needed.

We urge health care professionals and patients to report side effects involving fluoroquinolone antibacterials and other drugs to the FDA MedWatch program, using the information in the “Contact FDA” box at the bottom of the page.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS

  • Fluoroquinolone antibiotic medicines are associated with disabling and potentially permanent serious side effects that can occur together in the same patient and should not be used to treat certain uncomplicated infections. These uncomplicated infections include acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS), acute worsening of bacterial chronic bronchitis (ABECB), and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI).
  • These side effects can involve the tendons, muscles, joints, nerves, and central nervous system, and can occur within hours to weeks after starting a fluoroquinolone medicine.
  • FDA has updated the Boxed Warning in the labels, added new warnings, and has revised the patient Medication Guide of all fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
  • Contact your health care professional immediately if you experience any serious side effects while you are taking your fluoroquinolone medicine.
  • Before starting a new fluoroquinolone medicine, inform your health care professional if you have previously experienced any serious side effects with another antibiotic.
  • Serious side effects involving the tendons, muscles, joints and nerves include:
    • Swelling or inflammation of the tendons
    • Tendon rupture
    • Tingling or pricking sensation (“pins and needles”)
    • Numbness in arms or legs
    • Muscle pain
    • Joint pain
    • Joint swelling
  • Serious central nervous system side effects include:
    • Depression
    • Hallucinations
    • Suicidal thoughts
    • Confusion
    • Anxiety
  • Other side effects include:
    • Abnormally rapid or irregular heart beat
    • Ringing or buzzing in the ears
    • Vision problems
    • Skin rash
    • Sensitivity of skin to sunlight
    • Headache
    • Trouble falling asleep
    • Fatigue
  • Read the patient Medication Guide you receive with your fluoroquinolone antibiotic prescriptions, which explains the benefits and risks of the medicine.
  • Talk to your health care professional if you have questions or concerns about fluoroquinolone antibiotic medicines.
  • We communicated safety information associated with fluoroquinolones in May 2016, August 2013, andJuly 2008.
  • Report side effects from a fluoroquinolone or any drug to your health care professional and the FDA MedWatch program, using the information in the “Contact FDA” box at the bottom of this page.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

  • FDA has approved label changes that reserve the use of fluoroquinolone antibacterial medicines when treating acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS), acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (ABECB), and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) for patients who do not have alternative treatment options.

  • FDA has also updated the Boxed Warning and the Warnings and Precautions sections of the labels and revised the patient Medication Guide of the fluoroquinolone drug class to describe the serious risk of multiple disabling and potentially irreversible adverse reactions that can occur together.

  • These adverse reactions primarily include tendinitis and tendon rupture, muscle pain, muscle weakness, joint pain, joint swelling, peripheral neuropathy, and central nervous system effects.

  • The adverse reactions can occur within hours to weeks after starting treatment with a fluoroquinolone medicine.

  • Discontinue the fluoroquinolone medicine immediately at the first signs or symptoms of any serious adverse reaction.

  • Avoid fluoroquinolones in patients who have previously experienced serious adverse reactions associated with fluoroquinolones.

  • Serious Adverse reactions of the musculoskeletal system and peripheral nervous system include:

    • Tendinitis/Tendon rupture

    • Muscle pain

    • Muscle weakness

    • Joint pain

    • Joint swelling

    • Peripheral Neuropathy

    • Serious Central nervous system effects include:

      • Psychosis
      • Anxiety
      •  Insomnia
      • Depression
      • Hallucinations
      • Suicidal thoughts
      • Confusion
    • Other adverse reactions include:

      • Exacerbation of myasthenia gravis
      • Prolongation of the QT interval
      • Hypersensitivity reactions/anaphylaxis
      • Photosensitivity/phototoxicity
      • Blood glucose disturbances
      • Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea
    • Encourage patients to read the Medication Guide that they receive with their fluoroquinolone prescriptions.

    • FDA convened a public advisory committee meeting in November 2015 to discuss the risks and benefits of fluoroquinolone antibacterial medicines for the treatment of ABS, ABECB, and uncomplicated UTI. We also communicated safety information associated with fluoroquinolones in May 2016, August 2013, and July 2008.

    • Report adverse reactions involving a fluoroquinolone or any drug to the FDA MedWatch program, using the information in the “Contact FDA” box at the bottom of this page.

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Levaquin/levofloxacin Warning Label Changes (Please see July, 2016 Drug Safety Labeling Changes for the other fluoroquinolone label changes:

BOX WARNING (revised)

WARNING: SERIOUS ADVERSE REACTIONS INCLUDING TENDINITIS, TENDON RUPTURE, PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY, CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM EFFECTS AND EXACERBATION OF MYASTHENIA GRAVIS

  • Fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN®, have been associated with disabling and potentially irreversible serious adverse reactions that have occurred together including:
    • Tendinitis and tendon rupture
    • Peripheral neuropathy
    • Central nervous system effects
  • Discontinue LEVAQUIN immediately and avoid the use of fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN, in patients who experience any of these serious adverse reactions. Fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN, may exacerbate muscle weakness in patients with myasthenia gravis. Avoid LEVAQUIN in patients with known history of myasthenia gravis.
  • Because fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN, have been associated with serious adverse reactions, reserve LEVAQUIN for use in patients who have no alternative treatment options for the following indications:
    • Acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis
    • Acute uncomplicated cystitis
    • Acute sinusitis

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Disabling and Potentially Irreversible Serious Adverse Reactions Including Tendinitis and Tendon Rupture, Peripheral Neuropathy, and Central Nervous System Effects (addition)
  • Fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN, have been associated with disabling and potentially irreversible serious adverse reactions from different body systems that can occur together in the same patient. Commonly seen adverse reactions include tendinitis, tendon rupture, arthralgia, myalgia, peripheral neuropathy, and central nervous system effects (hallucinations, anxiety, depression, insomnia, severe headaches, and confusion). These reactions can occur within hours to weeks after starting LEVAQUIN. Patients of any age or without pre-existing risk factors have experienced these adverse reactions.
  • Discontinue LEVAQUIN immediately at the first signs or symptoms of any serious adverse reaction. In addition, avoid the use of fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN, in patients who have experienced any of these serious adverse reactions associated with fluoroquinolones.
Tendinitis and Tendon Rupture replaces Tendinopathy
  • Fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN, have been associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture in all ages. This adverse reaction most frequently involves the Achilles tendon, and has also been reported with the rotator cuff (the shoulder), the hand, the biceps, the thumb, and other tendons. Tendinitis or tendon rupture can occur, within hours or days of starting LEVAQUIN, or as long as several months after completion of fluoroquinolone therapy… Tendinitis and tendon rupture can occur bilaterally.
  • The risk of developing fluoroquinolone-associated tendinitis and tendon rupture is increased in patients over 60 years of age, in patients taking corticosteroid drugs, and in patients with kidney, heart or lung transplants. Other factors that may independently increase the risk of tendon rupture include strenuous physical activity, renal failure, and previous tendon disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Tendinitis and tendon rupture have also occurred in patients taking fluoroquinolones who do not have the above risk factors. Discontinue LEVAQUIN immediately if the patient experiences pain, swelling, inflammation or rupture of a tendon. Avoid fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN, in patients who have a history of tendon disorders or have experienced tendinitis or tendon rupture.
Peripheral Neuropathy (new sentences added)
  • Fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN, have been associated with an increased risk of peripheral neuropathy. Cases of sensory…
  • …minimize the development of an irreversible condition…Avoid fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN, in patients who have previously experienced peripheral neuropathy.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

  • The following serious and otherwise important adverse drug reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of labeling:
    • Disabling and Potentially Irreversible Serious Adverse Reactions (addition)
    • Tendinitis and Tendon Rupture (replaces Tendon Effects)

PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION

Serious Adverse Reactions
  • Advise patients to stop taking LEVAQUIN if they experience an adverse reaction and to call their healthcare provider for advice on completing the full course of treatment with another antibacterial drug. Inform patients of the following serious adverse reactions that have been associated with LEVAQUIN or other fluoroquinolone use:
  • Disabling and potentially irreversible serious adverse reactions that may occur together: Inform patients that disabling and potentially irreversible serious adverse reactions, including tendinitis and tendon rupture, peripheral neuropathies, and central nervous system effects, have been associated with use of LEVAQUIN and may occur together in the same patient. Inform patients to stop taking LEVAQUIN immediately if they experience an adverse reaction and to call their healthcare provider. (addition)
  • Tendinitis and tendon rupture replaces Tendon Disorders

MEDICATION GUIDE

What is the most important information I should know about LEVAQUIN?

Tendon rupture or swelling of the tendon (tendinitis).

  • Stop taking LEVAQUIN immediately and get medical help right away…
  • Worsening of myasthenia gravis (a problem that causes muscle weakness). Tell your healthcare provider if you have a history of myasthenia gravis before you start taking LEVAQUIN. (addition)

What is LEVAQUIN?

  • LEVAQUIN should not be used in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, acute uncomplicated cystitis, and sinus infections, if there are other treatment options available.
  • LEVAQUIN should not be used as the first choice of antibacterial medicine to treat lower respiratory tract infections cause by a certain type of bacterial called Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Before you take LEVAQUIN, tell your healthcare provider if you:

  • have a disease that causes muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis); LEVAQUIN should not be used in patients who have a known history of myasthenia gravis.
  • have nerve problems; LEVAQUIN should not be used in patients who have a history of a nerve problem called peripheral neuropathy

How should I take LEVAQUIN?

Do not skip any doses of LEVAQUIN, or stop taking it, even if you begin to feel better, until you finish your prescribed treatment unless:

  • you have nerve problems. See “What is the most important information I should know about LEVAQUIN?”

  • you have central nervous system problems. See “What is the most important information I should know about LEVAQUIN?”

     

All help in spreading the word about these FDA warnings will be greatly appreciated!

 

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