The Wall Street Journal (5/23, Miller) reported, "Johnson & Johnson faces civil
lawsuits regarding the antibiotic Levaquin [levofloxacin] filed by one of the
most prominent plaintiff's attorneys involved in the suits over Merck & Co.'s
Vioxx [rofecoxib] painkiller." The suits, filed "on behalf of three plaintiffs
from around the US," alleges "that J&J and its Ortho McNeil unit promoted
Levaquin as a safe treatment for bacterial infections despite allegedly knowing
for years that it could cause a higher incidence of severe tendon ruptures and
tendonitis." The suits "comes nearly a year after the Food and Drug
administration, responding to pressure from consumer groups, requested that
black-box warnings be added to the antibiotic...regarding the risk of tendon
ruptures." Lead plaintiff lawyer Mark Lanier, claimed that "Johnson & Johnson
and Ortho-McNeil have succeeded in convincing physicians to prescribe a more
dangerous drug which, in turn, makes these drug companies more
money."
From the American Association of Justice News Brief
From the American Association of Justice News Brief
