After months of public mud slinging and mountains of evidence, the FDA finally issued a black box warning on Ketek antibiotic. You have to wonder exactly - whose side is the FDA on? Is the FDA really concerned about protecting public safety from harmful drugs or do they care more about the pharmaceutical companies who finance the FDA's paychecks and research?
Two of the three previously approved indications - acute bacterial sinusitis and acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis - are being removed from the label. According to the FDA, they determined that the balance of benefits and risks no longer supported approval of the drug for these indications. One has to wonder why and how they didn't make those determinations in the beginning when the drug was originally marketed.
Even Congress has gotten involved. It's hard to imagine that the pharmaceutically companies and their band of lobbyists have not lined the congressional parade's pockets but so far at least a few senators are speaking out with their concerns about Ketek. Stay turned as this topic won't go away soon.
http://pharmalot.com/2007/02/fda_puts_black_box_on_ketek.php
