EMA Plans Public Hearing on Quinolones, Fluoroquinolones

The European Medicines Agency has scheduled a June 13 public hearing on quinolones and fluoroquinolones so stakeholders can share their experience with the class of antibiotics and their thoughts on the risks.

The EMA’s Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee is using the meeting to investigate reports of serious side effects of the antibiotics, mainly affecting the joints, muscles and nervous system.

The agency said side effects sometimes occurred in patients with non-severe infections that could have been treated with other antibiotics.