Why Was Temafloxacin Pulled From the Market?
Temafloxacin was an antibiotic that was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1992. However, just four months after it was approved for commercial use, the FDA reversed its decision and pulled the drug from the market.
This means that you can no longer any pharmacy in Seminole carrying this medicine. It’s been gone from the market for nearly 30 years.
Temafloxacin was a promising drug. It was developed for use in the treatment of lower respiratory tract and skin infections, as well as urinary and genital tract infections. It was easily absorbed by the body, which means it had the potential to be more effective than other similar antibiotics like ciprofloxacin.
With such an excellent performance, what made the FDA decide to disallow any low-cost pharmacy in Seminole County from selling the antibiotic?
In the four months that the medicine was available in the market, there were about 100 cases in the United States that resulted in severe allergic reactions. Some patients also developed hemolytic anemia, a condition where the body’s red blood cells are depleted fast.
Sadly, three patients had become fatalities due to their severe reactions to the drug. Abbott Laboratories made the voluntary decision to have the FDA remove the drug from the market, and the rest is history.
If you need the help of a compounding pharmacy in Seminole, don’t hesitate to approach us at Longwood Pharmacy. We’re more than happy to help you.