Over the next year, Merck will face the first wave in a large set of defective drug lawsuits over their osteoporosis drug, Fosamax.
When the pharmaceutical company released the drug in 1995, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested that they place a warning on the drug about its potential risk to cause osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ). They also asked Merck to conduct further testing on the drug at the time it was approved. Merck has failed to comply with both requests.
ONJ, or “dead jaw syndrome,” is a condition resulting in deterioration of the jaw. It leads to sores and infections on the jawbone, causing victims to lose their teeth.
There is considerable evidence linking Fosamax to development of ONJ. Furthermore, the disorder seems to be a side effect unique to this drug. The only other known way to contract ONJ is from exposure to radiation, most likely as a result of chemotherapy.
Recently, evidence has been mounting linking Fosamax to another potentially harmful side effect, an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. This disorder disrupts your heartbeat, leading to cardiac arrest and potentially death.
Currently, the FDA is reviewing the research connecting Fosamax to an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. If future studies prove the connection more conclusively, more lawsuits will most likely follow.
Currently, a recall has not been issued by Merck or the FDA, and the pharmaceutical company continues to keep the drug on the market.
If you have suffered an injury or illness from taking Fosamax in the Phoenix, Arizona area, please contact the law offices of Snyder & Wenner, P.C. today to schedule an initial consultation.
