Fosamax, a drug manufactured by Merck & Co. has been associated with several severe side effects and is currently the subject of numerous lawsuits around the country. Fosmax is designed to be used in the treatment of osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease especially common among post-menopausal women. Fosmax belongs to a class of drugs called bisphosphonates. The drug is often prescribed by doctors to treat women with thinning bone densities which is a common symptom of osteoporosis. It is also used to treat another bone-related condition known as Paget’s disease in which bones grow abnormally.
Bisphosphonates such as Fosmax are designed to inhibit the growth of a substance in the bone called osteoclast cells. These cells, which are also found in normal bones, break down bone cells and play an important role in bone regeneration and growth. However, in women with osteporosis, otseoclast cells multiply at an abnormal rate leading to bone degeneration. While Fosamax has been proven to successfully inhibit abnormal osteoclast growth it has also been associated with devastating side affects. People who have used the drug have shown a tendency to develop a condition called ostenecrosis, or bone death, of the jaw. Close to 4 percent of Fosamax users have developed dead jawbone disease. The use of Fosamax has also been associated with an abnormal number of severe low-stress femoral fractures and unusal pain of the hip and thighs.
Merck currently faces hundreds of lawsuits from women around the country who have suffered from Fosamax-related injuries. Many of the cases have been consolidated into a single multi-district lawsuit currently being heard by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Our Fosamax attorneys can help individuals suffering from Fosamax side affects to claim compensation for their suffering. People who are experiencing unusual pain in their jaw, hip or thigh should consult not just their doctors but also a Fosamax attorney. By consulting with a Fosamax attorney, patients can get a more complete understanding of their condition and of the legal options available to them for filing claims against Merck. A Fosmax attorney can help advise individuals and file a lawsuit on your behalf.
Most of the Fosamax lawsuits that have been filed to date against the company have alleged that Merck failed to properly test the drug and that it failed to properly advise patients of the potential complications arising from long term use. There are over 900 Fosamax related lawsuits that are still pending against the company. Some courts have shown a willingess to let the cases be consolidated and filed against the company. According to a few estimates, Merck has already spent close to $150 million defending itself against the lawsuits and could end up spending many times more before it resolves all of the complaints that have been filed against them. If you or a loved one has been injured from the drug Fosamax contact our attorneys today for a free consultation.
Fosamax News
South Carolina Files Fraud Lawsuit Over Avandia Side Effects
June 2, 2011
South Carolina officials have announced that they are suing GlaxoSmithKline for fraud over failing to disclose heart attack risks and other side effects of Avandia, a diabetes drug that has been removed from the market in many countries and heavily restricted here in the U.S.
The South Carolina Attorney General's Office filed the Avandia fraud lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company on May 17 in the 7th Judicial Circuit Court in Spartanburg County.
According to the complaint, GlaxoSmithKline defrauded state drug reimbursement programs that helped subsidize Avandia prescriptions by overstating the drug's effectiveness and hiding risks associated with the medication. The lawsuit charges the company with false and illegal marketing tactics.
GlaxoSmithKline allegedly cheated South Carolina taxpayers out of millions of dollars by convincing the state that the drug was safe and effective, the Attorney General's Office claims. The state seeks to recoup $5,000 for every time Glaxo violated the state's Unfair Trade Practices Act, and another $2,000 for each Avandia Medicaid claim reimbursed by the state, as well as unspecified punitive damages.
The lawsuit comes just days after the FDA announced that Avandia would only be available at select pharmacies and that special education will be required before health care professionals can prescribe the drug. The new restrictions on Avandia, which also apply to Avandamet and Avandaryl, were put in place after the FDA decided not to issue a recall for the diabetes drug, despite a known increased risk of heart attacks.
Avandia (rosiglitazone) was first introduced in 1998 to treat type 2 diabetes by helping control blood sugar levels. The drug has been used by millions of diabetics throughout the world, but sales began to plummet in mid-2007, after potential Avandia heart risks were highlighted in a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine.
A "black box" warning was added to Avandia in the United States in November 2007, but many critics continued to argue that the warning was not strong enough and called for an Avandia recall to be issued in the United States.
Despite heated internal debate, the FDA decided in September 2010 not to recall Avandia in the United States, allowing the medication to remain on the market with severe restrictions on who can use the product.
GlaxoSmithKline has faced thousands of Avandia lawsuits in the U.S. filed by people who allege that the drug maker failed to adequately warn about the risk of heart problems from Avandia. A number of Avandia settlements have reportedly been reached by GlaxoSmithKline in an effort to resolve the litigation, but thousands of cases are still pending in courts throughout the country.
The greatest wealth is health. -Virgil