PERILOUS PILLS

A journalist explores the potential risks of a commonly prescribed antibiotic.

Not long after journalist and entrepreneur Heise took the antibiotic Levaquin, prescribed for a sinus infection,she was diagnosed with tendonitis throughout her entire body. Heise soon discovered a growing community of people who asserted that Levaquin and other fluoroquinolones caused a range of physical and psychological problems that were often difficult to treat. In this debut health book, the author investigates various issues with fluoroquinolones and what she sees as the insufficient regulatory response to them. She explores the history and development of the drugs, their use and misuse, and the warnings that accompany them. The author then steps back to put fluoroquinolones in the broader context of the pharmaceutical industry and the regulatory environment that governs it. The book notes how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration responded to complaints about fluoroquinolones by increasing the number of warnings issued but not limiting use of the drugs. (In the book’s epilogue, Heise notes that although Levaquin’s manufacturer stopped production of that drug in 2017, there are many other types of fluoroquinolones still available.) Over the course of the book, Heise raises points that are little known outside the pharmaceutical industry, such as that the FDA can ask companies to withdraw certain problematic drugs from the market, but has no authority to require it. The book also addresses general questions about the overuse of antibiotics and their impact on the body and the environment. Heise is a strong writer and her book is well organized and informative; she supports her arguments with a substantial bibliography and avoids taking an overly alarmist tone. She addresses issues, such as the corporatization of the medical system, but focuses on concrete actions that ordinary people may take, such as reporting symptoms through the FDA’s website.

A solidly researched and informative look at the impact of negative drug reactions.