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A Stepping Stone For The Community
As clinicians document patients with this new diagnosis code, the growing dataset will show these devastating consequences are not rare, leading to increasing awareness in the medical community and government establishments over time. This is a meaningful stepping stone toward a potential future diagnostic code for FQAD as a medical condition and could serve as a catalyst for further research with the application of emerging technologies, and, ultimately, the development of possible treatments.
On October 1, 2025, the diagnosis code takes effect for U.S. insurance billing, including Medicare and Medicaid, and may help support disability applications. These codes primarily exist to classify and clearly define diseases, health conditions, and injuries in the medical record, enabling consistent diagnosis, statistical analysis, health-status monitoring, and data management across national and international health systems. The new code lets a clinician accurately document the diagnosis, but coverage for any related test or treatment still depends on the plan’s medical policy and documentation of medical necessity. Most electronic health record systems and billing tools load the new codes on or just after October 1, while printed code books may not show them until the next edition later in 2025 or early 2026.
New ICD10 Medical Diagnosis Codes for Fluoroquinolones
New subcategory:
T36.AX – Poisoning by, adverse effect of, and underdosing of fluoroquinolones antibiotics
New codes:
T36.AX1 – Poisoning by fluoroquinolones antibiotics, accidental (unintentional)
T36.AX2 – Poisoning by fluoroquinolones antibiotics, intentional self-harm
T36.AX3 – Poisoning by fluoroquinolones antibiotics, assault
T36.AX4 – Poisoning by fluoroquinolones antibiotics, undetermined
T36.AX5 – Adverse effect of fluoroquinolones antibiotics
T36.AX6 – Underdosing of fluoroquinolones antibiotics
Encounter suffixes:
A – Initial encounter
D – Subsequent encounter
S – Sequela (long-term effects)
Visit prep suggestions
Visit prep suggestions
✅If your clinician is unfamiliar with fluoroquinolone toxicity, it may be helpful to locate a doctor in osteopathic medicine (D.O.), functional, or integrative medicine, who focus on root causes.
✅ When making an appointment, ask if their system has updated to the October 1st, ICD‑10 CM code list, drug addenda - https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/icd/icd-10-cm/files.html
✅ If this is your first visit, bring key test results and any diagnoses, along with relevant photos of visible body damage.
✅ Proof of exposure:
Your original prescription or pharmacy receipt if retained; ask your pharmacy if not.
or
Request a pharmacy claim history from your insurer.
or
If you applied for life/disability/long-term-care insurance, contact the underwriter.
✅ Symptom timeline: Create a personal health chronology showing onset of symptoms after the drug; compile a short list of your main symptoms using the Adverse Effects, Evaluation Form. (below download)
✅ Public documents: Print a copy of the approved ICD10 code list, FDA Warnings & Black Box timeline, and take with you. (below download)
✅ Print out one of the Dear Doctor letters to take. (below download)
Requesting the code
Visit prep suggestions
➥ You can politely ask whether, in the clinician’s judgment, your history and findings meet criteria for the new diagnosis “Adverse effect of fluoroquinolones antibiotics.”
➥ Medical record amendment: Under HIPAA, you have the right to request corrections or additions to your medical record. If a doctor refuses, you can submit a patient statement of correction* to be attached to your record.
➥ Alternative: Find a new physician (osteopathic (D.O.), functional, or integrative medicine) who is open to acknowledging your adverse effect history and entering the code.
*Per website HHS.gov: If you think the information in your medical or billing record is incorrect, request a change, or amendment, to your record. If the provider or plan does not agree to your request, you have the right to submit a statement of disagreement that the provider or plan must add to your record. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/medical-records/index.html
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-C/part-164/subpart-E/section-164.526
Retroactive diagnosis
Retroactive diagnosis
ICD-10 codes are not restricted to only new injuries, they can document past drug reactions or injuries with ongoing or residual symptoms, even years later.
- "Sequela" means long-term after-effects after the acute phase of an illness or injury has terminated. Your clinician can code your current condition and mark it as a sequela of your prior fluoroquinolone injury so the record shows these issues are from that earlier event.
- The ICD-10 code helps track lifetime burden, not just active acute damage.
https://www.cms.gov/files/document/fy-2025-icd-10-cm-coding-guidelines.pdf
Why the code matters for older cases:
Recognition: Establishes an official diagnostic label that validates long-term harm
Medical record clarity: Helps future providers understand the root cause of remaining symptoms
Insurance and disability: Some coverage decisions depend on having a precise code for documentation
Research and statistics: Allows your case to be counted toward epidemiological data
Important Note - FQAD
Please note the new codes are not for FQAD (Fluoroqinolone Associated Disability). The use of T36.AX5 adverse effects plus the relevant diagnoses (e.g., peripheral neuropathy, dysautonomia, tendinopathy), adding sequela if indicated, is the nearest equivalent under current standards.
