Denver, CO 7/21/2008 12:54:58 PM
News / Health & Wellness

LegalView Launches Revamped Ketek Information Portal with Details of the Drug's Potential Risks

LegalView, the best legal resource available on the Web, announced its newly revamped Ketek information portal, which will provide details of the antibiotic's alleged risks. The potential ketek side effects already identified have included liver damage and liver failure, and the drug has been allegedly linked to at least 18 deaths and more than 100 cases of liver damage, according to a public safety advisory from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that was issued in 2006. However, the drug has not been recalled and patients who have taken the drug are advised to consider contacting a Ketek law firm, which can offer assistance in finding an experienced Ketek lawyer.

A French company, Sanofi-Aventis, manufactures Ketek, also known as telithromycin. The drug treats upper respiratory infections including bronchitis, community acquired pneumonia, streptococcus and sinusitis and is a ketolide antibiotic, the first of its kind to enter clinical use, according to a case report article published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in February 2006. The case study also suggested that the development of hepatotoxicity among patients taking Ketek may be a risk, according to the case reports conducted on the drug. Individuals who feel they may be at risk for
ketek liver damage may want to seek legal advice and should search for knowledgeable ketek lawyers who can offer assistance in developing potential pharmaceutical-based litigation.

Additionally, an article on July 19, 2006 from The New York Times detailed concerns from several FDA officials regarding the drug. The article described internal e-mails from Dr. David Graham of the FDA's drug safety office who said the drug was dangerous and recommended "immediate withdrawal" from the market. Individuals who are taking the drug and feel they may be suffering from Ketek-induced liver failure should seek medical attention immediately. It is also recommended that an individual affected by the potential Ketek side effects should contact a qualified
Ketek attorney and learn about the potential for developing a Ketek lawsuit.

To learn more about this or other controversial prescription drugs, visit the LegalView homepage. Here, readers can learn about the latest black box labeling for the fluoroquinolones antibiotics, which include Levaquin and Cipro. Readers can also learn about the smoking-cessation drug Chantix and the side effects associated with the prescription drug.

Fluoroquinolones are a family of antibacterial drugs, which include Levaquin and Cipro. The FDA recently announced it would be amending the labels for all fluoroquinolone drugs and increase the label to a black box label warning - the strongest labeling given by the FDA. While all the fluoroquinolone drugs differ, they all have been associated with an increased risk of tendonitis among patients. Levaquin, also known as levofloxacin, is manufactured by Ortho-McNeil and treats bacterial infections, specifically treating infections such as skin infections, chronic bacterial prostates, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, bronchitis and acute pyelonephritis caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli). The drug, which was released in 1996, has been the center of numerous clinical trials and studies because of the
Levaquin side effects, which can include the most serious - Achilles tendon rupture - as well as jaundice, seizures, hallucinations, abdominal tenderness and limb numbness.

Cipro (ciprofloxacin) from Bayer A.G. was approved for market use in 2000 and is used to treat bacterial infections similar to those treated by Levaquin. The
Cipro warning dealt with side effects associated with the drug, which are the same as Levaquin, and can include an increased risk of tendonitis. Additionally, Cipro has other side effects that may also be harmful to patients. Some of the side effects include seizure, difficulty breathing, depression, suicidal thoughts, blacking out and hallucinations.

The smoking cessation drug, Chantix, was released in mid-2006 and rose quickly among the numbers of prescribed patients taking the drug. Approximately 3 million Americans were taking the drug when reports began to flood the FDA's office that the drug was causing suicidal thoughts and tendencies among patients. The
Chantix side effects are currently being investigated by the FDA, although no recall has occurred or is scheduled to occur.

About LegalView:

LegalView.com is a public service brought to you by Legal WebTV Network, LLC, a Limited Liability Corporation created by a group of the nation's most highly respected law firms: Anapol Schwartz; Brent Coon and Associates; Burg Simpson; Cohen, Placitella and Roth; James F. Humphreys and Associates; Lopez McHugh; and Thornton and Naumes. For more information on the accomplishments and track records of LegalView.com's superior sponsoring law firms and to get in touch with LegalView attorneys, visit LegalView at www.LegalView.com/.