As the trial dates for the Levaquin trials finally have been announced, news hits that the FDA announced that fluoroquinolone antibiotic drugs like Levaquin now have to carry a new black box warning.
The new black box warning was enforced because the FDA says this class of drug worsens a condition known as myasthenia gravis. The black box warning is the strongest warning the FDA can impose on a drug that is already approved for public use. Fluoroquinolones like Levaquin already had a black box warning against them because they have been found to cause tendon damage and ruptures to patients, as well as other tendon problems. Many lawsuits have been filed against the makers of Levaquin, Johnson & Johnson, because of it.
Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disorder that makes your voluntary muscles weak. What causes the weakness in the muscles is that the nerve which is supposed to get a muscle to work doesn’t properly do its job. It’s supposed to stimulate the muscle because immune cells that are supposed to fight off bacteria or viruses end up fighting the body’s own healthy cells instead. This reaction is what is known as an autoimmune response. This autoimmune disorder causes the neurotransmitters to not be able to get the messages that the nerves try to give it.
The FDA is now using its website to encourage doctors to stop prescribing fluoroquinolones like Levaquin to any patients that already have myasthenia gravis. This new addition to the warnings against Levaquin may be helpful for patients that have had their myasthenia gravis symptoms worsen after taking the controversial antibiotic.
If you have been taking Levaquin and think that it has worsened your myasthenia gravis, contact your doctor right away to see if you are right in your guess. After that you should contact a lawyer. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering.
