Ketek Legal News Articles & Interviews

New York, NY A recent decision by the United States District Court in the Eastern District of New York has ruled against class-action status in a lawsuit by plaintiffs against Sanofi-Aventis, the manufacturer of Ketek. The latter is an antibiotic that was brought to market under questionable circumstances and was found to be harmful, with 53 reported cases of liver failure and four deaths by 2007—just three years after the drug was brought to market.

St. Clair, IL In a victory for plaintiffs, a judge in St. Clair County has denied a motion by Sanofi-Aventis to dismiss or transfer 59 claims against the company regarding its antibiotic, Ketek. The judge found that Sanofi-Aventis did not show that St. Clair County was an inadequate forum for the cases and refused to dismiss claims from plaintiffs in other states.

Washington, DC There are those who feel that the real threat to the American people isn't terrorism: it's the seemingly endless supply of dangerous prescription drugs that carry approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Ketek is alleged to be one of them, after patients have died or been seriously harmed from the antibiotic.

Washington, DC The antibiotic Ketek was approved by the FDA more than three years ago, ostensibly to be used for respiratory tract infections. There was no mention of side effects such as liver damage and/or liver failure. Since that time, scandals and treachery—mainly involving study 3014--seem to have held no bounds regarding the drug, its manufacturer and the FDA.

Iowapark, TX Two years ago, Teresa Virgin was prescribed Ketek for a simple sinus infection. It was almost her death sentence. "I went through 65 days of hell, including three hospital visits and my teenage kids thought they were losing their Mom," says Teresa.

Washington, DC Clinical studies of a pharmaceutical drug are generally not enough to foresee adverse effects. The antibiotic Ketek is a prime example. Recently prescribed for sinus infections -- from bronchitis to bacterial sinusitis to pneumonia -- it is now only prescribed for the latter, and it also comes with added warnings. This changes came about only because of several reported deaths and multiple cases of severe side effects including kidney and liver failure.

Washington, DC The United States is not the only country to limit the approved uses of Ketek in the wake of deaths related to the drug. Health Canada has followed in the footsteps of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and removed the approval of Ketek for chronic bronchitis, tonsillitis/pharyngitis and bacterial sinusitis. Ketek will only be indicated to treat community-acquired pneumonia of mild to moderate severity.

Tom's River, NJ "How many families are out there that had their loved ones die because of cardiac arrest or natural causes when in fact Ketek was to blame?" says Mary Kane. "I want to tell you that Ketek caused my father's death so that others don't take this dangerous drug."

Rockville, MD: Critics of the Food and Drug Administration approval process frequently point to Ketek as evidence that the FDA is not properly protecting the safety of American consumers. The process by which Ketek was approved was filled with false data, illegal activity, and omitted information yet still the drug was approved. Some patients died after taking Ketek for relatively mild sinus infections. Now, patients are investigating possible class action lawsuits against Sanofi-Aventis for pushing the approval of Ketek despite allegedly knowing about the life-threatening risks.

Washington, DC Physicians and senate investigators are calling for a major overhaul in the drug regulation process at the US Food and Drug Administration, based on the recent scandal involving approvals for the antibiotic Ketek.