Fosamax Shown to Cause Femur Fractures

An advisory committee for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be meeting in September to evaluate the risks posed to patients taking bisphosphonates, drugs which are commonly used to treat osteoporosis in women. The meeting comes after reports were sent to the FDA of women fracturing their femurs after doing something as simple as stepping off a curb.

In the meantime, the FDA has sent out a safety announcement, warning patients about all bisphosphonates, which include the drugs Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, Reclast, and the generic Alendronate. Despite the warning, these drugs remain popular and have contributed $3.5 billion in revenue to their respective companies.

Lois Takamori of Hawaii had been taking Fosamax for eight years, hoping to prevent osteoporosis, until one day she took a step backward and her femur fractured. She had to undergo painful surgery to have screws placed in her femur. Once an active and fit woman, the 62 year-old now walks with a cane and still suffers from the pain of her fractured femur.

Ms. Takamori has filed suit in a federal court in Hawaii against Merck, the maker of Fosamax, for her broken femur. She is alleging that Merck failed to adequately warn her of the risk of this happening. Others like Ms. Takamori have also filed suit for similar occurrences that happened to them.

In recent years, medications like Fosamax have been linked to spontaneous femur fractures and osteonecrosis of the jaw, which leads to jaw bone decay. Because of these links, the FDA in October 2010 required bisphosphonates makers to add a warning label about the risk of bone fractures.

Prolonged exposure to the medication is believed to be one of the causes of these fractures. Many of the women who experienced femur fractures had been taking the medication for at least five years.

So what should you do if you are currently taking this medication? The FDA is advising patients taking bisphosphonates to see their doctor if they develop a pain in one or both of their thighs. Patients who are worried about developing a femur fracture should not take themselves off the medication, but should talk with their doctor about alternative treatment options. Finally, patients who have been on a bisphosphonate for four years or longer should talk with their doctor about whether they should continue to take the drug or find an alternative treatment option.

In the meantime, the FDA has sent out a safety announcement, warning patients about all bisphosphonates.

If you or a loved one took Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, Reclast, or any other bisphosphonate and experienced a spontaneously fractured femur or jaw bone decay, contact Van Wey Law today.