A growing number of lawsuits filed in U.S. courts allege Bayer Corp. and Merck & Co. Inc. failed to warn patients about the risk of permanent nerve damage from taking the antibiotic Avelox. Langdon & Emison is representing clients nationwide in claims involving defective antibiotics commonly used to treat bacterial infections, including Avelox, Cipro and Levaquin.
The antibiotics – also known as fluoroquinolones – have been linked to peripheral neuropathy, a condition that leaves nerves in the arms and legs permanently damaged. Studies as early as 1992 also have linked the antibiotics to an increased risk of retinal detachment, which can lead to blindness and vision loss.
Recent suits filed in Pennsylvania federal and county courts accuse Bayer and Merck of spending enormous amounts of money to promote Avelox for minor conditions that can be treated with safer medications – efforts that resulted in nearly $700 million in profits in 2007 alone, according to a report by Law360.
Avelox was first approved for use in the U.S. in 1999. In 2013, the FDA published new warnings about the risks of taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics and peripheral neuropathy.
In 2011, about 27 million patients received oral or injectable forms of fluoroquinolone antibiotics. More lawsuits alleging similar claims are expected to be filed against manufacturers of the antibiotics.
Contact Us
Langdon & Emison offers free case evaluations of potential claims involving Levaquin, Cipro or Avelox. If you or a loved one may have been injured as a result of taking a defective antibiotic, contact our firm at 866-931-2115.