Forsamax Side Effects
Fosamax Fuels Flurry of Femur Factures
Fosamax side effects have been reported for a while but it wasn’t until 2010 that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acknowledged the connection between the Osteoporosis drug Fosamax and a flurry of patients suffering sudden fractured femurs.
“I walked into my husband’s bedroom – and my leg just broke,” Carol Ames of State College, Pa. told ABC’s Dr. Richard Besser in a special about this harmful Fosamax side effect of this popular medication used in treating Osteoporosis.
Another woman, who Besser identified as a doctor from New York, described her harrowing experience after taking Fosamax for 7 years.
“I was on the subway and the train jolted,” she said. “I felt a big crack and I fell to the floor.”
FDA Slow to Acknowledge Fosamax Side Effects
Unfortunately, as is often the case, the FDA was slow to act in issuing a warning about Fosamax, a bisphosphonate manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co.
That’s despite the fact that FDA records show the agency had concerns about the relationship between Fosamax and femur factures as early as 2008 — when it asked Merck to look into the matter.
Merck’s response to the FDA was not surprising,
“A causal relationship between Fosamax and these factures has not been established,”
When you consider the soaring sales of the drug, exceeded $3.5 billion, according to IMS Health, it’s serious that financial considerations may have clouded Merck’s conclusions on such a harmful Fosamax side effect.
But, It isn’t the first time the Pharma megacorporation has denied the harmful and even fatal Fosamax side effects of one its popular drugs. Who can forget how Merck discounted the connection between its miracle pain killer Vioxx and a growing number of heart attacks?
Finally, after much patient carnage and indisputable documented proof of the connection, Vioxx was withdrawn from the market in 2004. Some legal experts estimate Merck could end up paying out as much as $30 billion in already settled and pending Vioxx lawsuits filed by attorneys representing victims and their families. Still, the payouts can never fully make up for the lives lost as a result of using the once popular painkiller.
Fosamax Side Effects
In 2010, the FDA issued a “Medication Guide” for Fosamax, which clearly spelled out its relationship to femur factures.
“Some people have developed unusual fractures in their thigh bones,” the FDA warning says. “Symptoms of a facture may include new or unusual pain in your hip, groin or thigh.”
In January of 2011, the FDA updated its warning, recommending that all doctors who have been prescribing the medication to patients for more than five years re-evaluate those patients. The FDA advised them to make certain patients using the drug weren’t developing any of the symptoms found in those who ended up suffering broken femurs.
But even more disturbing is the other Fosamax side effects the FDA has now associated with the use of Fosamax, which include the following:
- Esophagus problems
- Low calcium levels in your blood, triggering a condition known as hypocalcaemia.
- Joint, bone, or muscle pain
- Severe jawbone problems triggering a condition known as osteonecrosis.
Don’t Wait; Act Now! On Fosamax Side Effects
There’s no doubt that Merck is and will continue to use every legal and financial resource at its disposal to aggressively fight victims’ claims against Fosamax.
That’s why it’s so important if you or a loved one has suffered a broken femur, experienced unusual pain in your hip, groin or thigh while using Fosamax, you should consider seeking legal representation as soon as possible.
That’s because time is running out! All lawsuits are governed by the statute of limitations – and the clock is ticking on Fosamax.
For a free, no obligation consultation with an attorney specializing in Fosamax litigation, simply complete the form on the right-hand side of this post and a legal professional will contact you promptly! Fosamax side effects is something you need to take seriously and act on today