THE SANDERS LAW FIRM

FOSAMAX

Fosamax (generically known as “alendronate”), is a drug prescribed for post-menopausal women and elderly people of both sexes. The drug is supposed to improve bone density and prevent fractures.  Prolonged use of 4 years or more, however, can cause osteonecrosis ("bone death") leading to femur fractures and deterioration of the jaw bone. Women, in particular, who have been taking Merck's Osteoporosis drug “Fosamax” for 4 years or more, have reported suffering spontaneous and unexplained femur fractures while performing low-impact activities. A study in the May/June 2008 issue of the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma links Fosamax to a rare type of fracture in the femur. The study looked at 70 patients who experienced low-energy femur fractures, which occur when someone falls from a standing height or less. Twenty-five patients (36%) were taking Fosamax for four years or more on average.

On October 13, 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised the warning label for Fosamax and other bisphosphonates warning of the "risk of atypical fractures of the thigh, known as subtrochanteric and diaphyseal femur fractures, in patients who take bisphosphonates for osteoporosis."   Before the FDA’s revision, a study released in the March 20, 2010 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that women on long-term Fosamax therapy suffered an unusually high rate of femur fractures.  The fractures had a signature horizontal pattern and all occurred in the absence of significant trauma -- falls from standing height or less.  Most of the victims we already represent reported that they were simply walking on level surfaces when one or both femurs suddenly gave way, causing them to fall.  

If you or someone you know has taken Fosamax and suffered a femur fracture, please contact us for a free, no obligation consultation. We can answer your questions, gather important information, and start working towards recovering financial compensation on your behalf.