Fosamax (alendronate sodium) is an osteoporosis drug manufactured by Merck to treat bone loss. Fosamax, which belongs to a class of drugs called bisphosphonates, has been prescribed to millions of patients to increase bone density and reduce the risk of fractures. A significant number of Fosamax lawsuits have been filed on behalf of patients who experienced severe side effects from taking Fosamax. These side effects included a rare decay of the jawbone known as osteonecrosis of the jaw, or ONJ.

There have been published reports since 2003 documenting a possible link between bisphosphonates and osteonecrosis of the jaw, or “dead jaw”, a condition marked by pain, swelling, infection and/or exposed bone. Often times osteonecrosis of the jaw involved patients with cancer who were receiving chemotherapy and had been given intravenous bisphosphonates to treat cancer that had spread (metastasized) to the bone. However, a number of cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw have also been reported in people taking oral bisphosphonates such as Fosamax for osteoporosis.

The risk of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw due to bisphosphonate use is significantly higher in people with cancer or dental problems. If you currently take an oral bisphosphonate and need a dental procedure, you should discuss this with your doctor, dentist and oral surgeon. Most notably, osteonecrosis of the jaw has been associated with a recent dental procedure, such as a tooth extraction or active dental disease.

Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a very serious disorder. However, if a person has been prescribed bisphosphonate for osteoporosis, they should not stop taking the medication without first consulting their doctor.

Speak to a Fosamax Lawyer

If you took Fosamax and suffered osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), a broken leg, or femur fracture, we encourage you to contact a Fosamax attorney at our law firm immediately. An experienced product liability attorney can assist you in a legal action against the makers of Fosamax. Contact our law firm and learn more about your legal rights and the options available to you and your family.

Some psychotropic drugs may be recommended to treat depression as they are believed to affect the mind, emotions, and behavior of an individual. But these medications appear to elevate the risk for various birth defects. As a recent study initiated by the University of Copenhagen suggests, the consumption of psychotropic medication ought to be avoided during pregnancy.

Investigators observed the link of psychotropic medications with birth defects. They analyzed the data between 1998 and 2007 regarding Danish children under the age of 17. The study claims that the data highlighted Birth defects appear due to intake of psychotropic medications during pregnancy

429 adverse drug reactions in these children. After thorough examinations the authors concluded that more than half of these cases indicated extreme birth defects including birth deformities and severe withdrawal syndromes.

Associate Professor Lisa Aagaard affirmed, “A range of serious side effects such as birth deformities, low birth weight, premature birth, and development of neonatal withdrawal syndrome were reported in children under two years of age, most likely because of the mother’s intake of psychotropic medication during pregnancy.”

In addition, the investigators inspected 4,500 pediatric adverse drug reaction reports and revealed a clear link between psychotropic medications and birth defects. It was ascertained that psychostimulants like Ritalin known to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD) was accountable in 42 percent of unfavorable reactions. And while antidepressants such as Prozac probably caused 31 percent reactions, 21 percent were contributed by antipsychotics similar to Haldol.

Aagaard cautioned, “Psychotropic medication should not be prescribed in ordinary circumstances, because this type of medication has a long half-life. If people take their medicine as prescribed it will be a constantly high dosage, and it could take weeks for one single tablet to exit the body’s system. Three out of four pregnancies are planned, and therefore society must take responsibility for informing women about the serious risks of transferring side effects to their unborn child.”

The authors further suggested that awareness on the effects of the intake of psychotropic medication during pregnancy should be created. They also advised doctors to undertake extreme control measures while recommending pregnant women with any psychotropic medications.

The study has been published in the journal BMC Research Notes.