Fluoroquinolones are a class of antibiotics. They are a very effective family of antibiotics, and enjoy widespread popularity. However, it has been alleged that some patients may experience life-threatening side effects.

The family fluoroquinolone includes some very common drugs, including Cipro (Ciprofloxacin), Levaquin (Levofloxacin) and others. These are an entirely synthetic family of antibiotics, unlike other antibiotics which are derived from bacterial and fungal compounds.

It was hoped that this would make these drugs harder for bacteria to resist, since they are unlike naturally-occurring antibacterial compounds. However, quinolone lawsuits have alleged that these drugs may be linked to serious quinolone side effects such as Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received reports of serious health problems from people taking these drugs. From 1997 through 2010, the FDA received and documented 2500 deaths linked to this class of antibiotics. This typically included reports of liver failure and autoimmune reactions like Stevens Johnson Syndrome, or SJS.

Liver failure is reported with a number of drugs. This is chiefly because the liver is the organ that breaks down drugs. With some drugs, the liver inadvertently breaks them down into toxic chemicals called secondary metabolites. This side effect varies wildly with an individual’s own physiology. In fact, drugs with as safe a reputation as Tylenol can trigger dangerous reactions with secondary metabolites, making it unsurprising that antidepressants in the fluoroquinolone family could cause this reaction.

Another major side effect reported with fluoroquinolones is Stevens Johnson Syndrome. SJS is an autoimmune reaction, a reaction wherein the body’s immune system, which usually kills invading bacteria, malfunctions and attacks the body itself.

In the case of SJS, the body attacks the skin, causing a rash with blisters and ulcers. The damage can spread to the eyes, and even the internal organs. Recovery typically takes months, and survivors are often left with disfiguring and debilitating scars.

SJS can be lethal, particularly when it escalates to Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, or TEN. TEN is an extreme form of SJS, with an even higher mortality rate of 40 percent, up from the 5 percent to 30 percent seen in SJS patients.

SJS and TEN are nearly always caused by a reaction to a drug. But it is very difficult to predict what person will develop the reaction from what drug.

Drug reaction lawsuits concerning liver damage and SJS typically allege that drug makers have not done enough to protect the public from life-threatening reactions like SJS, TEN, and liver damage. These lawsuits typically seek to recoup the cost of medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses related to their drug reactions.