I-Team: Mass. Families To Share Antibiotic Horror Stories With FDA

BOSTON (CBS) – Fluoroquinolones are a powerful family of antibiotics that can save lives. In serious cases, doctors often don’t have other options. But as the I-Team first reported last year, these drugs can often cause debilitating side effects. Critics maintain they are over-prescribed. On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration will hold a meeting to consider changing how these drugs are used. Massachusetts families plan on attending to share how these drugs devastated them. Nick Newell will tell federal regulators how his brother Ollie started a downward spiral after taking several doses of Ciprofloxacin. It was prescribed for a urinary tract infection. Ollie was a vibrant robust man who still played basketball, but his body couldn’t withstand the impact of a fluoroquinolone. He took his own life after his symptoms continued to worsen. In a letter to family and friends, Ollie wrote “I guess this affliction beat me. . . I did try pretty hard to get past it, for what it is worth. Sort of tough to do with all systems affected (muscles, joints, skin, nerves, heart, intestinal, memory, hearing, etc. . .) and really no end in sight.” Nick will read Ollie’s letter as part of his testimony. “We saw this drug completely change him.” Liz Newell, Ollie’s sister, said he was troubled by the deep mental fog brought on by the drug. The FDA is considering changes in how these powerful drugs are prescribed. They are very common and go by names like Cipro, Lev...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health i-Team Local News Seen On WBZ-TV Syndicated Local Watch Listen Fluoroquinolones Lauren Leamanczyk Source Type: news