OTTAWA – Health Canada’s recent safety review of oral and injectable fluoroquinolones, a class of antibiotics, found that in rare cases some known side effects may be persistent or disabling. This includes muscular issues such as tendonitis and Achilles tendon rupture, nerve damage such as peripheral neuropathy, and central nervous system issues such as anxiety, dizziness and confusion. As a result of its safety review, Health Canada is working with manufacturers to include information concerning this rare but serious risk in the product labelling of these drugs. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are used to treat several types of infections, including respiratory and urinary tract infections. Reactions can occur hours to weeks after taking a fluoroquinolone. There are several oral and injectable fluoroquinolones available in Canada, both generic and brand name: ciprofloxacin (Cipro); moxifloxacin (Avelox); levofloxacin; norfloxacin; and ofloxacin. Health Canada is also working with the Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network and the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health to conduct additional studies to better understand the use of fluoroquinolones in Canada. If new safety information is identified, Canadians will be updated, as required.
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