Guest guest Posted June 2, 2011 Report Share Posted June 2, 2011 http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/wellness/122992828.html Being prescribed this antibiotic several years ago was the last straw for me. I had been against " psychoactive " drugs. Then I took ONE pill of Levaquin, along with Prednisone (sp?), and spent a night racked by joint pain. I demanded an " old school " antibiotic the next day. My doc was totally unaware of the warnings (pre-Black Box). J & J accused of hiding the tendon risks of Levaquin Article by: JANET MOORE , Star Tribune â â Updated: June 1, 2011 - 9:35 PMâ The case, involving a Worthington man, is the second of nearly 1,000 to go to trial for the drug giant & . 2 comments resize text  print buy reprints    Lawyers squared off in federal court Wednesday in a jury trial that pits an elderly Worthington man against & over claims that the drug giant failed to warn patients about the risks associated with a popular antibiotic and possible tendon damage. Opening arguments in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis before Judge Tunheim were politely contentious before a jury of nine women and three men. The case, the second of close to 1,000 that have been consolidated in Minneapolis federal court, follows a jury verdict against New Jersey-based J & J in December that awarded an Edina man with a similar injury $1.7 million in damages. The current case was filed by Calvin Christensen, an 84-year-old retired businessman who was hospitalized in May 2001 for pneumonia. His doctor prescribed Levaquin (pronounced LEEV-ah-qwinn), as well as a steroid, to combat the respiratory condition. Christensen subsequently ruptured his Achilles tendon, an injury that required surgery to repair. Goldser, a Minneapolis attorney representing Christensen, said his client hasn't been the same since the Achilles injury, which has curtailed his beloved activities -- including shopping at Wal-Mart, fishing and golf. His lawsuit calls for an unspecified amount of damages. Goldser argued that & failed to adequately warn doctors about the risk of tendon injury associated with Levaquin when used with some steriods, a drug cocktail commonly prescribed to treat respiratory infections. But J & J's lawyers pointed out that ever since Levaquin was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1996, its packaging has contained warnings about tendonitis and tendon ruptures. In 2008, the FDA required that J & J's Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit -- as well as competitors making similar drugs -- enclose a " black box " warning on the label that describes tendon-related risks. In his opening statement, Saul, a New York attorney representing Christensen, carefully unfurled the 2-foot-long Levaquin label packed with small type and proclaimed it an inadequate warning for both doctors and patients. J & J's lawyer Irwin said " doctors know exactly where to look " on the label to detect any special warnings or instructions associated with the drug. Further, he noted, Christensen's doctor was well-aware of the risks associated with prescribing Levaquin with a steroid, but did so because the combination works in combating serious chest infections. " He chose this medication because it was more important to get this man home to his wife, " he said. Over the years, Levaquin has been a blockbuster drug for & -- in 2010, sales of the antibiotic were $1.4 billion, according to securities filings. The trial is expected to last up to three weeks. Janet • 612-673-7752 more from wellness Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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