FLQ Side Effects Often Worse than Symptoms of Original Infection

According to Dr. Charles Bennett, a prominent doctor who specializes in prescription drug safety at the South Carolina College of Pharmacy, one of the central problems with fluoroquinolone (FLQ) antibiotics (such as Avelox, Levaquin, and Cipro), is their over-prescription. “We are talking about going into the physician’s office, having a little sniffle, walking out with an antibiotic and shortly after having these kinds of problems,” Bennett commented, regarding the serious side effects of FLQs. Patients experienced peripheral neuropathy, tendon injuries, and central nervous system problems as a result of the drug—side effects that may be permanent. Despite the FDA’s strong “black box” warning, Dr. Bennett has filed petitions with the drug regulatory agency to include even more safety cautions, including those for mitochondrial toxicity, which may manifest itself later as Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, or ALS. Patients have been reportedly prescribed this drug for sinus infections, pneumonia, and other diseases, but Dr. Bennett and others believe this drug should only be dosed for more serious occurrences, such as infections from anthrax and the plague.