Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety
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The Infectious Diseases Society of America and US CDC recommend 60 days of ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, or amoxicillin for anthrax prophylaxis. It is not possible to determine severe adverse drug event (ADE) risks from the few people thus far exposed to anthrax prophylaxis. This study's objective was to estimate risks of severe ADEs associated with long-term ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, and amoxicillin exposure using three large databases: one electronic medical record (General Practice Research Database) and two claims databases (UnitedHealthcare, HMO Research Network). ⋯ Long-term amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, and doxycycline appear safe, supporting use of these medications if needed for large-scale post-exposure anthrax prophylaxis.