Fluoroquinolones

Overview :

Fluoroquinolones are available only with a physician's prescription and are sold in tablet and injectable forms. Examples of these medicines are moxifloxacin (Avelox), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), ofloxacin (Floxin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), lomefloxacin (Maxaquin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), enoxacin (Penetrex), gatifloxacin (Tequin), and sparfloxacin (Zagam).

In the wake of the anthrax terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001, ciprofloxacin received extensive media attention because it was the only drug labeled as approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for both prophylaxis and treatment of inhalation anthrax (the most serious form of the disease). However, in late October 2001, the FDA issued a notice clarifying that the antibiotic doxycycline is also approved for anthrax prophylaxis and that doxycycline and amoxicillin are also approved for treatment for all forms of anthrax. The FDA encouraged companies to update labeling of these products with this previously unspecified information.