U.S.

Recommended Withdrawal

By Laura Strickler

December 15, 2006 / 6:19 PM EST / CBS News

An external FDA Advisory Committee has recommended that the controversial antibiotic Ketek

(CBS)

be withdrawn for use in patients with bronchitis and sinusitis but remain on the market for pneumonia. The decision is not final but the FDA usually follows the recommendations of its advisory committees. The vote to change the drug's usage by the experts on the panel was significant - 17 to 2. The decision follows a story by CBS News on December 13th that highlighted Iraq war veteran Chuck Gregg who took the drug and five days later suffered liver failure.

The committee's decision contradicts information the FDA put out earlier this week that dismissed reports of liver failure from the drug, saying the benefit of the drug outweighed the risks.