subject: Fosamax News [print this page] The Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons has recently published a warning about Fosamax in its September 24, 2004 edition, this prompted the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the manufacturer of Fosamax to issue a warning to health care professionals.This is just one of the latest Fosamax lawsuit news given by the FDA.
Also there has been recent update is that there has been an increase of reported cases of osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) which are potentially linked to Fosamax use. ONJ is when the bone tissue in the jaw fails to heal after minor trauma such as a tooth extraction, causing the bone to be exposed. What happens with this type of jawbone exposure is that it can lead to infection and fracture and may require long-term antibiotic therapy or surgery to remove the dying jawbone. In the opinion of many medical experts is that the best way to save as much jawbone as possible is early detection and treatment.
Since 2001, approximately 2,400 patients have reported ONJ. To repair jaw bone damage, a painful surgery is required to remove dying bone tissue. The common side effects of ONJ have been known to include jaw pain, numbness, exposed oral bones, loss of teeth and infection. ONJ can potentially be caused by taking drugs like Fosamax for treatment for osteoporosis and bone cancer..
A newly appointed task force reported on bisphosphonates like Fosamax an association with atypical femur fractures in osteoporosis patients has caused the FDA to consider requiring drug companies like Merck to make a label change to increase the warning about this rare but serious side effect.
There has also been an online article dated September 14, 2010 by the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research titled "Atypical subtrochanteric and diaphyseal femoral fractures: Report of a task force of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research." The task force findings stated that the task force reviewed 310 cases of "atypical or low-impact femur fractures," and found that 94 percent (291) of patients had taken Fosamax, for more than five years.
Fosamax was designed by Merck to supposedly help with the treatment of bone loss due to osteoporosis and other bone diseases. The more recent side effects of Fosamax have been shown by recent online publications and the findings of independent task forces.
