In 2007, 40 million prescriptions of fluoroquinolone antibiotics were given to US patients despite the fact that other antibiotics may be more appropriate or even unnecessary. This is no small matter. The FDA has asked (but not required) makers of pill and injectable fluoroquinolone antibiotics to add a black box warning–the most serious type–to their drugs’ prescription information. Why? Because there is an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture when this drug is overused.
