subject: Consumerinjurylawyers:fosamax And Fractured Femur [print this page] Medical Studies link Fosamax to Unusual Femur Fractures:
Medical research published in the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma in 2008 links Fosamax to a rare type of femur fracture. This medical research studied 70 patients who took Fosamax for 4 or more years. Thirty-six percent of these patients on Fosamax experienced low-trauma femur fractures that occurred when falling from a standing position or less. The fractures did not appear like typical osteoporotic bone in that the bone looked like strong healthy bone should appear. Seventy-six percent of the patients who had the simple fractures ended up with straight-line fractures (horizontally) across the bone with a beak-like overhang on one side. The study also demonstrated the longer the patients took Fosamax the greater the potential for Fosamax side effects of bone fracture.
Another study at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City reported on 10 female patients who had taken Fosamax for 7 years and had experienced unusual femur fractures and severe bone pain. This was a limited study and no causal relationship was established. However, in January 2008, the FDA issued an alert to physicians about the possibility of severe bone pain occurring as a result of bisphosphonate therapy.
In the 2009 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, a report was included of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who took Fosamax for 8 years and developed unusual femur fractures. These researchers found that the patient had an imbalance in bone resorption and formation at the site of the femur fracture.
Merck Pharmaceuticals Disagrees with Fosamax Femur Fracture Studies:
Merck states that Fosamax and other bisphosphonate drugs have been demonstrated to decrease the risk of this type of fracture common to osteoporotic patients. Merck says that the studies concerning Fosamax side effects discussed in the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma are inconclusive. Nevertheless, Merck faces over 1000 Fosamax lawsuits filed by users who have experienced Fosamax side effects. On March 11, 2010, the FDA posted a notification to healthcare providers and patients that at this time, the data the FDA has reviewed has not demonstrated a clear connection between bisphosphonate use and a risk of unusual femur fractures. The FDA is working with outside experts, including members of the recently convened American Society of Bone and Mineral Research Subtrochanteric Femoral Fracture Task Board, to gather more information and further evaluate the issue.
If you have taken Fosamax and have suffered from a femur fracture or other Fosamax side effects, you may want to consult a Fosamax lawyer to see if you qualify for a Fosamax lawsuit.
by: Susan Ardizzoni
welcome to Insurances.net (https://www.insurances.net)
