January 2006: Study Links Ketek to Three Cases of Acute Liver Failure

The Annals of Internal Medicine posts an “early release” version of an article reporting three cases of acute liver failure in previously healthy patients who had taken Ketek. [Los Angeles Times, 6/17/2006] The final version of the article will be published in late March. [Clay et al., 3/21/2006] The FDA, responding to the new data, insists the drug presents no more danger to the liver than other antibiotics. The agency even cites the results of Study 3013, which FDA investigators previously determined relied upon fraudulent data (see October 2001-Fall 2002 and March 25, 2004). [Wall Street Journal, 5/1/2006 ]