Following an alert, the taking of fluoroquinolone class antibiotics was studied by the High Authority for Health (HAS).
![HAS: \](https://www.pourquoidocteur.fr/media/article/COPY_istock-1406545219-1722337250.jpg "HAS: \")
- Fluoroquinolones are commonly used antibiotics.
- Many people who have taken these treatments report experiencing serious side effects.
- As a result, the HAS is alerting “prescribers of the need to observe an attitude of great caution in the administration of fluoroquinolones”.
There High Authority of Health (HAS) has made public the follow-up it is providing to France Assos Health regarding the management of people with complications related to taking fluoroquinolone class antibiotics.
Fluoroquinolones: what is the alert about?
By letter received on April 5, 2024, the France Assos Santé association had asked the HAS to develop recommendations for the care of victims of serious adverse effects related to taking fluoroquinolones. This includes musculoskeletal effects with disability, peripheral neuropathies, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders, hearing disorders and heart problems.
France Assos Santé also reported difficulties in providing care for these serious health problems, which it considers to be very poorly understood by the medical profession, including various specialist doctors.
What are the new HAS recommendations on thefluoroquinolones?
Following these reports, the HAS has just published a new document on fluoroquinolones. While the institution first notes the interest of fluoroquinolones in specific indications, it nevertheless recalls that “their interest is, as with any treatment, to be weighed against their undesirable effects, the latter being able to lead to serious complications for patients which need to be recognised and taken care of”.
She therefore alerts “prescribers on the need to observe an attitude of great caution in the administration of fluoroquinolones, respecting the indications and rules of use.”
She also emphasizes “the importance, when prescribing fluoroquinolones, of informing patients of the precautions to take to reduce the risk of complications occurring and of managing them when they occur.”
Fluoroquinolones: what are the HAS’s next areas of action?
Furthermore, the HAS has included in its work programme the development and dissemination of information intended for healthcare professionals likely to encounter patients affected by complications linked to fluoroquinolones.
Finally, the health agency will soon update its report on “targeted biopsies in the diagnosis of prostate cancer” published in 2023 to reassess the indication for the use of fluoroquinolones.
