Stronger warnings for antibiotic

Bristol-Myers Squibb is warning against the use of the antibiotic drug Tequin in diabetic patients, the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.

The company is also strengthening its warning that the drug can cause low and high blood sugar levels in patients, the FDA said. Since Tequin was approved in 1999, there have been “rare cases of life-threatening events” involving patients who took the drug, the agency said.

“The FDA will continue monitoring Tequin’s safety to ensure that its benefits outweigh the risks to patients,” the FDA said in a statement.

Bristol-Myers had no immediate comment. Tequin is typically taken to treat patients with pneumonia, bronchitis, gonorrhea and other infections, such as those affecting the skin, urinary tract or kidneys.