Three cases of severe liver problems and one death have been reported after patients were given a certain antibiotic. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating whether the drug telithromycin (Ketek) is responsible.
A patient at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., died after taking telithromycin. Another had to have a liver transplant, while the third survived a drug-induced case of hepatitis after Ketek was discontinued.
“Because these liver problems are significant and somewhat.... unpredictable, the FDA is evaluating this... medicine in both the U.S. and abroad.... to determine whether additional warning guidance is merited," said FDA spokeswoman Susan Bro.
