Missy Clyne Diaz  |  November 27, 2014

Category: Legal News

Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.

Ciprofloxacin ciproCiproflaxin, the popular oral fluoroquinolone antibiotic, has been linked to liver toxicity.

While the drug also known as Ciloxan, Ophthalmic and Cipro is generally well tolerated, one in 100,000 people suffer adverse reactions such as hepatoxicity from chemical-driven liver damage. The liver is responsible for clearing chemicals from the body and is susceptible to toxicity from these agents. Chemicals that cause liver injury are called hepatoxins.

Liver damage caused by fluoroquinolones typically begins within one to four weeks of starting the drug. Ciproflaxin and levofloxacin (Levaquin) are the two most common fluoroquinolones associated with liver injury.

According to the National Library of Medicine, “common side effects of fluoroquinolones include gastrointestinal disturbances, headaches, skin rash and allergic reactions. Less common, but more severe, side effects include QT prolongation, seizures, hallucinations, tendon rupture, angioedema and photosensitivity.”

A number of patients have alleged that the medications caused them to suffer from liver damage and liver failure.

In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a black box warning about the risk of severe tendon damage caused by fluoroquinolones. And in 2013, the FDA issued a safety announcement and changes to the label and medication guides for fluoroquinolone antibiotics, warning the public about the risk of peripheral neuropathy.

The side effect of peripheral neuropathy occurs only with fluoroquinolones that are taken by mouth or by injection.

Approved fluoroquinolone drugs include levofloxacin (Levaquin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), moxifloxacin (Avelox), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), and gemifloxacin (Factive). The topical formulations of fluoroquinolones, applied to the ears or eyes, are not known to cause this risk.

“This serious nerve damage potentially caused by fluoroquinolones may occur soon after these drugs are taken and may be permanent,” the FDA warned.

Between 1997 and 2010 the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (AERS) documented 2,500 reports of deaths linked to quinolones, in addition to 45,000 negative quinolone side effects. The agency noted that only 10 percent of adverse drug reactions are picked up by AERS, which means about 90 percent of all adverse drug reactions go unreported.

The FDA first approved Ciprofloxacin in 1990 and the drug has grown in popularity so that around 20 million prescriptions are filled annually.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, quinolone lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

Learn More

We tell you about cash you can claim EVERY WEEK! Sign up for our free newsletter.


Get Help – It’s Free

Join a Free Quinolone Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you or someone you know took Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox or another quinolone antibiotic and were diagnosed with liver failure, Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), you may have a legal claim. See if you qualify by submitting your information below for a free and confidential case review.

An attorney will contact you if you qualify to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you.

 

Oops! We could not locate your form.

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.