Raxar™

In November 1999, Glaxo Wellcome PLC announced that it would voluntarily withdraw its oral fluoroquinolone antibiotic, Raxar™ (grepafloxacin), with immediate effect, as a result of emerging safety concerns. In coming to this decision the company recognised the need to strike a balance between the therapeutic benefits of the medicine, the potential risk of side effects, and the availability of alternative treatments.

An estimated 2.65 million patient treatments were prescribed since Raxar™ was first marketed in August 1997. In line with the company's practice, Glaxo Wellcome monitored the safety profile of Raxar™ since launch, and observed a small number of severe cardiovascular events among patients. While the reported incidence of such cardiovascular events was infrequent, the company was no longer convinced that the benefits of Raxar™ outweigh the potential risk to patients, given the availability of alternative antibiotics.

Source: fda.gov

If you or a loved one has been harmed by Raxar™, you may want to contact a Raxar™ attorney for more information.